Eva Winters Book One: Death Eaters Rising
by shadowkat678
Summary: When the Death Eaters Rise again, only one Muggle-born girl can stop them, but how can she when she doesn't want to be a witch in the first place? Four years after the final battle trouble is brewing once more as darkness again comes to the Magical world! Old faces return, new faces appear, and once again danger is approaching steadily on the Horizon AU
1. That dumb bloody letter

**Eva Winters Book One: Death Eaters Rising**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter...at all...**

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**A/N: There are a few things in here that may be confusing, they are all explained at the bottom of the chapter.**

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_Magic, it's the stuff of myths, fairy tales, and countless legends from throughout time. It's been the inspiration of storytellers for centuries, a fantasy, nothing but an escape from the harsh reality that we are forced to live...or so everyone thinks. And so I once believed it was as well. My name is Eva Winters and I am a witch._

_Shocking? That's exactly what I thought. Me, an unexceptional eleven year old girl in almost every way you could think of, someone you could see every day and never give a second thought to, a witch? Yes, I am, and yes, I hate it._

_But why, why would someone hate something most would give everything to obtain? Why, when most little eleven year olds would be bouncing with excitement, would I want nothing else but for things to go back to how they were? I'll tell you why. It is because their dream became my nightmare the night I first received that bloody letter. That was the night my life was turned completely upside down, because not everyone would see magic as a gift. No, to some it would only be a curse._

_My father, the man whom I trusted with everything, one of the only people who I had ever opened up to, walked out of my life the moment he realized what I truly was, and the only thing he left behind for us was a note. It was that note which, the very next morning, my mother was the first to find._

_I watched as the letter fell from her hands and she crumpled down to the kitchen floor. I watched as she was hurried on a stretcher into the wailing ambulance, and I had to deal with the fact that it was my fault. Deal with the fact that my supposed 'gift' was no gift at all._

_My mother was released within a week, the hospital report claiming that she had only experienced a mild heart attack from stress. Yet ever since her release from the hospital when they had assured us of a full recovery, nothing about her condition has changed. Tomorrow, I'll be going for my supply's, next week I'll be heading to Hogwarts._

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I buried my head stubbornly down into my pillow, wishing away the bright morning sunlight that was forcing itself through my closed eyelids. After five minutes of this, I sighed and sat up irritably, glancing around my small messy bedroom. I stared at the four surrounding walls that had been painted the same pale cream as long as I could remember, the little black bookshelf with peeling paint sitting isolated in the corner, the old cracked mirror we had never got around to replacing, and my old battered writing journal I always took with me everywhere lying spread open on the floor.

I got up and tugged on an old shirt and pair of jeans lying on the floor.

_Today's the day._

I cast a sidelong glance at myself, pale ice colored eyes and dark brown hair lying flat on my head just as unnoticeable as always, and headed out of my small room, slowly making my way down the creaking stairs to the living room below.

I glanced over to our couch, seeing my mother wide awake in the dim lighting, and jumped carefully over the last step, pausing at the base of the stairway.

"Mum, how are you feeling?" I watched as my mother grimaced, trying to sit up from her position on the old couch, which creaked dangerously under her weight. She refused to sleep in her bed, claiming that it just wasn't the same anymore. I wasn't sure how much more the couch could take her sleeping on it though.

She finally managed a sitting position, slowly and carefully swinging her pajama clad legs over the edge of the couch. Mum sighed in relief and chuckled sadly. "Well, how am I looking?" I stared down at my feet, a guilty feeling slowly bubbling up to the surface.

I heard her shift and sigh heavily from across the room.

"Eva, look at me, please." I glanced up, feeling my eyes slightly widen. I had only heard that tone once or twice, it was fear. But underneath was the same stone hard determination she always had and if there was ever a time I was happier for that stubborn aspect she was known for I wouldn't be able to name it. I only wish I had at that moment like I do now.

"This is not your fault and you can't stand there beating yourself up like this. You have been given a wonderful opportunity Eva and I won't let you waste it worrying about me." Despite everything, she was smiling. It was what everyone loved about her. No matter what happened she always saw the best in every situation. It's one more thing I regret not appreciating more than I did when I had the chance.

I went over to the couch and sank down beside her, gripping the coarse fabric tight beneath my fingers.

"Mum, I don't care about this ruddy school, or about magic, I just want to stay here with you. I want to have dad back. I want to see him smile and laugh and tell his stories and..." I broke off, my eyes catching sight of a picture, hanging crookedly in it's wooden frame from across the room. I saw his eyes, colored an icy blue just like mine, lit up cheerfully as he sat down with us around the vibrant green of a tiny undecorated Christmas tree in this very living room only a year before. I stared hard into his face, smooth shaven and froze into a single silent moment wearing the biggest and happiest smile that I had ever seen. It was from last Christmas, and I remember it as clear as if it were yesterday.

After two weeks of pleading, my dad had finally convinced his boss to let him come home to enjoy Christmas at home. My father worked retail for a small company located two hours away in the busy streets of downtown London and even though it was shut down after Christmas Eve, someone always stayed behind on Christmas day for last minute work and clean up. Every year for the past three years running it was my dad who was chosen for the job.

Though the only one of my parents that had a job, with the little money brought in my father had created the best Christmas I ever had. Neither I nor mum knew that he would be home and I remember the excitement I felt welling up as he walked in, covered head to toe in tiny ice crystals as he stomped his icy boots on the welcome mat, smiling from blue tinged ear to blue tinged ear. In his arms were two boxes hastily wrapped in shiny green paper.

I remember tearing open the crinkly paper, feeling my hands brush against smooth leather, and pushing aside the remaining wrapping to reveal a small black leather-bound book. It was a photo album, filled with pictures of us together and happy. I can still see the tears filling my mother's eyes as she found the same thing as I did.

Then I remembered those same pair of eyes that stared coldly, looking at me as if I a complete stranger to him...but it was my father that seemed to have changed. I've never forgotten that look he gave me. Though it wasn't my fault he hated me, and I didn't have a ruddy clue as what to do about it. I don't know if there was ever a time that you felt that, but if not I should hope you never do.

I turned and looked at my mother, who also seemed to have been studying the picture at the same time as I had. I finally knew what I wanted.

"Mum, I want us to be happy again..."

She smiled sadly at me and looked me in the eyes, my ice blue to her warm brown.

"I know." Those two words said everything.

We sat there in silence for the next half hour, each lost in our own thoughts and memories as we stared at the picture. I snapped out of my trance as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm so sorry you were put through this. Your father isn't the man whose face I watched light up as he first held you in his arms or the one I had once fell in love with... I can see that now. Eva, that man you see in the picture is gone and even if I could bring him back it wouldn't make a difference."

"I know." I nodded, trying to look away, but she wasn't done though. I should've known my mother wouldn't let it go that easy.

"No Eva, now listen to me. It was your father who caused this mess, not you. I know that you resent yourself for what's happening to our family, but he was the one in the wrong. He was a ruddy prat to us both and I fully believe that you have been given a gift, even if it doesn't seem that way to you at the moment. If he can't see this he doesn't deserve to have you as a daughter. It isn't our past that defines us, but how we use the past and the problems that come with it that does." She smiled, slowly threading her fingers through my hair as I sat there silently, not knowing what to think.

"Eva, I understand that you may never have had many friends, but believe me when I say that you are one of the smartest and kind hearted people I've ever had the pleasure to know. I've seen it, even if others haven't. I've seen you for who you are, and I've also seen the mask you try to put on when you're around others. I want you to let go of that mask now Eva. I've watched how distanced you try to make yourself from other people, how much older you try to act then what you really are. You shouldn't try to be alone all the time. Eva, I want you to be happy. I want you to be able to be the child you never were able to be, but you can't do that if you're always taking care of me. This is your chance to start over and I want you to take it. I know it was hard to have all this put on you, but know that I am proud to have you as my daughter and that no matter what happens I will always accept you, no matter what choices I will be there for you even if I don't agree with them, and no matter what, no matter how much you hate to hear it, you will always be my little girl." I slowly looked back up at her, speechless.

Even after all that had happened I found it hard to believe she could still believe in me like this. At that moment I realized something. I realized that no matter what happened I wasn't alone anymore. It was like a light had been turned on and I felt happy. I smiled, a real one, before I felt a tear go down my face and before I knew it I was crying with my head buried in her tangled brown hair.

"But what about you?" She pulled me away and studied me sadly, tears falling out of her own eyes as well. In that moment, she looked almost ancient. Everything that happened in the past few weeks showed in her face, from her pale skin to the heavy bags that stood darkly out under her eyes.

"I know that you don't want to leave, but you don't need an old lady like me to hold your hand anymore. Eva, you will be a magnificent young witch and an ever greater young woman. I'll be fine. Just remember that you don't need to be perfect. No, the only thing you need to be is you, because that Eva is something no one else can ever be. I love you—you have no idea how much I love you."

She hugged me to her again and rubbed circles lazily on my back. I just sat there with my head buried in her shoulder.

After a few more minutes we were both back to normal, tears dried and the recent discussion planted firmly into our minds.

"Your Aunt Lucy will be here to pick us up on September the first and once she drops you off at the station I'll go to her house so while you are gone there is nothing to worry over. I promise." I nodded. "That still gives us a whole week all to ourselves. On Christmas break she will be waiting at Kings Cross station to bring you over to celebrate the holidays with us." A knowing smile crossed her face as she brushed a stray strand of hair from my eyes. "For now though... I think your ride's here." At that precise moment someone knocked loudly on the door. She smiled slyly.

"Well then, are you going to just stand there waiting till the world ices over or are you going to go answer it?" I laughed and hugged her tight.

"I'll miss you mom." She chuckled a bit herself before squeezing me back.

"Eva, you're acting like you'll never see me again. Didn't I just say we had a whole week together before you leave? Don't think you'll get rid of me that easy darling. I'll be back up and about again before you know it." She made a motion with her head to the door as another loud knock rattled the beaten old frame. I got up and moved towards it timidly, mouth dropping wide as it opened.

"Ello there, name's Hagrid, an' this must be little Eva." I just stared. I knew it was rude but he was huge! The man at the door must have stood over ten feet tall, wearing a patched up hairy overcoat littered with various sized pockets. Half his face was lost under a shaggy black beard with only his mouth and beetle like black eyes penetrating from under it.

"Come on then, don't just stand there gawking all day! You still want them supplies don't ya? Won't do much good ter go ter Hogwarts with nuthin' but what's on your back!" The big man gave a hearty laugh and thumped me hard on the shoulders. I heard a stifled laugh from somewhere inside the house. Mum apparently didn't find a ten foot tall giant as shocking as I did.

I jumped slightly as he pulled out an old faded, pink...umbrella? He looked around sheepishly, a small smile on his face as he looked down at me. "I'm not really allowed ter use magic, but since there ain't no other way ter get there..." My eyes widen as I saw what looked mysteriously like golden sparks fly out from the tip. He winked at me.

"Old Dumbledore gave me permission to make us a Portkey. There was never a greater man that ever lived than Dumbledore. You won't tell anyone will ya? Not everyone's as understanding as he is." I shook my head, still shocked that a giant brandishing a pink umbrella was standing on our front steps. He bent over and plucked something up out of the yard before holding it out in one enormous palm. It was an old piece of tin, bumpy and rusted by its time spent outside in the elements.

"Well now, this scrap righ' here'll work." He muttered some words I couldn't quite catch under his breath, umbrella pointed at the rusted metal, which glowed brightly for a second before returning to its original copper colored state. Hagrid held it out for what I guessed was for me to touch. With one final glance back at my mother, looking like she was using every ounce of power not to laugh at my reaction but smiling at me encouragingly nonetheless, I stepped outside and closed the door with a soft click behind me.

I had no idea what was supposed to happen when I touched it, but tentatively placed a finger on the bumpy surface. The moment my skin connected I felt a quick jerk from below my navel and my feet were suddenly lifted off the ground. My body was spinning, colors mashing together all around me, and I noticed that my finger was stuck to the can. Just as I was starting to feel the start of panic I felt myself land roughly back onto solid ground.

In seconds I took in my new surroundings. We were standing in a graffiti covered back alley behind some kind of cafe.

The landing had left me off balance and Hagrid had to hurriedly grab ahold of my shoulder to keep me from stumbling backwards onto the cracked pavement.

Out of nowhere the hairs on my neck stood high on end as I glimpsed a tall shadowy figure disappear out of the back end of the alley. I quickly took a step closer to Hagrid.

When we walked out of the alleyway I half expected my eyes to fall out of my head as I stared up, speechless, at the round face of the world famous Big Ben. Hagrid just grinned at me and led the way forward into the bustling, crowded, London streets.

I looked around me in awe, soaking in the sights, sounds and smells. People were running busily in all directions, jostling each other in their rush, while shops advertised colorful products in their widows and all kinds of mouthwatering smells were drifting out of bakeries, food shops, and street venders up and down the crowded roadways. I jumped as a red street trolley came by and snapped me out of it. There was no mistaking it. We were definitely in London.

"Hagrid, how did we just do that?" I had to run just to keep up with his long strides, clearing the crowds effectively wherever he stepped.

"Well, magic o' course! What d' expect?" The giant abruptly froze on the walkway and looked down at me with a worried look, causing me to almost run into him in the process. "Err...you do have your list don't ya? Forgot ter ask 'bout that before we left."

I pulled out the letter and the feeling of wonder I felt vanished as I looked down the small slip of parchment. I slowly stuffed it back inside my jean pocket. Hagrid nodded in approval, oblivious to what was running through my mind, before we started walking again. By now we were receiving a number of stunned stares from local passerby. A ten foot giant didn't seem to be a normal sight around old London town.

"Muggles, do it every time." I glanced at him in puzzlement and Hagrid looked over to see what the problem was. He suddenly slapped himself on the head before letting out another gut shaking laugh.

"I keep forgettin'! Sorry, Muggles are what we magical folk call non-magical people. Yeh'd think, after all this time, tha' I'd remember ter tell people that! Ah, here we are!"

We stopped. Standing in front of us was a small little building wedged tightly between a bookstore and a music shop and if Hagrid hadn't stopped in front of me I probably would have walked right past it. He led me inside and what I saw literally took my breath away.

"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron!"

A crowd of people were bustling around in long colorful robes and tall pointy hats, laughing loudly and talking cheerfully between each other, eating at tables scattered across the room, and overall appearing to be having a very good time with themselves.

Out of nowhere, two filled to the brim silver colored goblets whizzed pass us through the air, Hagrid almost falling backwards trying to avoid them.

He looked down at me and chuckled. "Always be on the lookout fer them flyin' drinks! Well come on then, think we got time fer a small something before we head out!" I heard my stomach growl, realizing that I never had breakfast before I left.

Again I had the feeling of being watched. Glancing over, I saw two people seated across from each other in a secluded corner talking quietly amongst themselves while shooting short glances over in our direction. Hagrid seemed to notice this as well because, at the precise moment he spotted the two, another wide toothy grin suddenly broke out across his bearded face and we started walking briskly over towards the table. As we got nearer I finally had my first good look at them.

One of the men was tanned and seemed to be in his early to mid-forties with shoulder length black hair that fell in straight, sleek strands, but what most caught my attention were his eyes. They were colored a stormy grey and they seemed years older than what they should be, yet still managing to hold on to a childlike sense of mischief to them as well.

The other adult looked to be about the same age as the first. He appeared slightly sickly, his skin tinged gray and had dark rings under his tired blue eyes. He had light sandy brown hair, peppered with silver gray and my eyes lingered for a moment as I took in his multiple strange scars that were scattered about his face.

"_SIRIUS, REMUS, HOW AR' YA_!" I watched on in slight amusement as both men got up from their seats and quickly tried to back off to avoid getting caught in the giant's crushing bear hug. Unfortunately, both men were just a few seconds too late. I felt a bit sorry for them, looking like toddlers compared to the much larger bearded individual towering before them.

"Hag...rid...can't...breathe...let...down...please ..." The giant let them go sheepishly, trying to brush them off before the black haired man hurriedly explained that, though very kind of Hagrid, they would both very much prefer to go ahead and do it themselves.

"Eh, sorry 'bout that, Sirius, Remus. How've yeh lot been?" Sirius rolled his eyes at the other man, who, by default, must be Remus.

"You know something, Hagrid, I'm beginning to think you enjoy doing that just a bit too much for my liking." He straightened out his dark colored robes and grimaced at a loud popping sound that seemed to issue from his lower back. He frowned a bit before continuing on the conversation. "And I've been fine thanks for asking. I talked to Harry the other evening and he asked to come and help do a flying lesson with the first years." The black haired man looked over, noticing me for the first time. "And who might this be?" Remus chuckled and rolled his own eyes before joining his companion and looking over at me curiously.

"Oy, where're me manners, this little thing is named Eva! She's a new student, Muggle-born, and I've brought her to get her stuff. Mum is sick and...well, I probably shouldn't tell anything too personal." He nudged me. The two men just gave each other a look, silent laughter passing between them. "Well, go on, say hi then! These two will be yer professors at Hogwarts. Professor Black here teaches Quidditch and flying lessons. Very popular sport, yeh'll learn all 'bout it later I'm sure. This is Professor Lupin, he teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts, been teaching fer four whole years! A record fer us, that is!" I looked down at my worn out sneakers but stayed silent. "She's a bit shy, this one is, but she'll get over that in no time. Kinda reminds me o' you that first year, Remus!" Sirius let out a short bark like laugh while Remus frowned and raised his eyebrows up at his companion.

"Well, I can't wait to see you at class Eva, and I'm sure you will do just fine. Hagrid, shouldn't you be getting her school supplies?" The giant looked mortified. _So much for getting food._

"Oy! We got ter get a move on! Come on, Eva!" About halfway across the room Hagrid turned back. "See yeh lot at Hogwarts, then!"

As I twisted my head around I saw that both men had gone back to their previous conversation, but I lost sight of them and the rest of the strange room as Hagrid pulled me out into a trash littered courtyard.

We were in another back alley, littered with trash and crumbling brick, and I had no clue why. What could possibly be out here that would have anything to do with getting school supplies? "Okay!" He pulled out his umbrella and walked up to an old trashcan leaning up against the wall, as if this was a completely normal thing to do. "Right then, three up an' two across." I watched in shock as the old brick wall parted from the middle out, steadily widening, and revealed a bustling street filled with people of all sorts, shopping and laughing heartily at different points up and down the cobblestone street.

The road was lined with side venders and all kinds of strange shops, while numerous odd looking objects lined windows and shelves. One building was full of numerous types of hooting, flapping owls, while another was filled to the brim with cauldrons of all colors and sizes and strange looking things suspended in mysterious liquid within shelves upon shelves of glass vials, yet another was an many flavored ice-cream shop where people were sitting under bright colored umbrellas while eating in the cool morning air, and there were many more I couldn't even see yet through the thick throng of people. I looked at the little ice cream shop longingly before glancing about once more.

Witches and wizards of all shapes and sizes were wondering about wearing all different colored robes. I saw black, gray, white, midnight blue, cherry red, even a younger witch that passed in front of us wearing bright pink! This place was so different, so strange; it was like a whole new world compared to what I was used to. I dimly recalled the story of Alice in Wonderland, expecting at any moment to wake up back home in bed, everything I had seen thus far fading away into a forgotten dream the moment I opened my eyes. I vaguely considered pinching myself, but if it was a dream, it was slowly turning into a good one.

"Welcome ter Diagon Alley! Okay then, let's pull out the supply list, shall we!" I nodded and pulled it out from my jean pocket, reading off the supplies one by one. With each new item I began to become a little more worried. How much would all of this cost? He looked at me quizzically, noticing the expression on my face. "Problem?" I nodded.

"Hagrid, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but how am I supposed to pay for all this? I don't even have money, and even if I did, how will I know where to find all of this?" I felt slightly stupid, going for supplies without thinking of the money it would cost. Not that I really had any money to bring even if I thought to bring it.

The giant seemed to remember something, twisting and turning at odd angles while searching through his various coat pockets until he pulled out a large and heavy looking sac.

"No problem at all! Old Dumbledore made sure yeh were covered, with a bit o' extra too! He knows all bout' yeh money situation, and fer that next part, that's why I'm here!" He was grinning ear to ear as he held out the tan sac of jingling coins. I looked at it nervously. I didn't really feel much like questioning how he knew about my need for it, already having guessed the answer, but I didn't feel right taking the money.

"Hagrid, I'm sorry but there's no way I can take this, it's not mine. Besides, I don't know what any of these are worth." He chuckled to himself, mumbling something that I couldn't quite make out.

"'Course yeh can! He gave it ter yeh didn't he? Now, lemme show yer what all them things are!" He pulled out three coins.

"See, there are 17 Sickles in a Galleon, those are them silver ones, and 29 Knuts in a Sickle, those are them little bitty bronze ones, and finally there are 493 Knuts to a Galleon, those are those big gold ones! Around the edge of each coin is a series of numerals which represent a serial number belonging to the Goblin that cast the coin, ya see? You use these coins to buy things in the wizard world!" I nodded politely. I mean, I kind of got it at least.

"Um, where do we go first?" I looked around at all the busy shops, wondering what all was inside.

"Firs' we'll head over to Madam Malkin's to get measured for ya robes, and then we get yer quills, phials, scales, and telescope over at Wiseacre's. After that we can head over to Flourish and Blotts, to get all yer school books, then to Pottage's for the cauldron and potion supply's, and then to Ollivanders, for yer wand." So in other words, follow Hagrid. I looked over at the little Ice cream shop once more. He did say that there was extra money...

"Hagrid, do you think we might be able to go over to that little ice cream place first? I didn't really eat before we left."

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It took all that afternoon, but finally we had obtained almost all the supplies from the list. It really was fascinating to look around, but after hours of being jostled to and fro by random people I didn't know in busy shops full of things that could quite possibly cause an dangerous explosions, all I really wanted to do was get it all done and go home for supper. The mint ice cream I ate, while the best I had ever had, didn't last that long to be completely honest.

We had just gotten my cauldron and potions supplies so the only item left to check off now was a wand from Ollivanders. I followed Hagrid into the empty shop as a bell rang merrily from somewhere above us as we entered. I noticed that unlike the other places we had visited so far, which were filled with all sorts of eye catching, colorful, and exotic things, this one had nothing more to it than one small room. I noted that someone had piles upon piles of boxes, varying in lengths and colors, crammed onto many tall shelves, and every nook and cranny they could be squeezed into within the small building. The only other object that I could see was an old solitary wood chair with a broken leg that had been sat beside the door.

"Oy! Mr. Ollivander! Yeh in here?" I winced as Hagrid loud voice boomed in my ear. "Eh, sorry 'bout that Eva." I rubbed my ear and attempted a weak smile back but my attention was redirected as a man walked into the room.

He had wispy white hair, pale skin, and even paler, waxy, gray eyes. He walked in a hunched over fashion and reminded me of an old bent over tree I always used to walk past on the way to school. To be completely honest, the guy gave me the creeps.

"Ah, new student? Well then..." He walked to me with an old tape measure in one hand and looked me up and down skeptically. I shifted my feet, nervous under his gaze; it felt like he was assessing me for something. It was weird. "Put your wand arm up, yes, that's it. There is the perfect wand for everyone here in Ollivanders. Wait right here." I smiled a little. Where else would I go?

He walked over to one of the many tall shelves and reached up to the very top, causing it to wobble back and forth dangerously. The tape measure still floated in mid-air, measuring me up and down, sizing me this way and that, measuring things like around my head that didn't seem to have anything to do with choosing a wand. Finally, he seemed to have found what he was searching for. The wand maker walked back, boxes in hand, and as if on cue, the tape measure rolled up and fell to the floor with a nice sized "thud".

"Remember, the wand chooses the owner, not the other way around. Try this one first." He took one of the boxes and pulled out a thin, dark colored, flexible looking wooden stick and handed it to me.

"Ebony, 11 1/2 inches, phoenix feather core, give it a wave." Feeling slightly stupid, I started to lift it. He snatched it from my hand before I could so much as make a flick.

"That won't work at all, try this one. Willow, 12 inches, unicorn tail hair, slightly springy." Just like the last it was also snatched back by the wand maker.

"No, no, no, how about this, a perfect choice for charms! Vine wood, 10 inches, dragon heartstring." He was starting to look very excited as the number of wands left untried began to dwindle down till it seemed as if less than half the overall wands should be remaining. It felt as if it had taken a few hours to get this far, even considering how fast he took most of them.

"Here, now, Mahogany, 11 1/2 inches, unicorn hair, very sturdy. An excellent choice for Transfiguration work."

He pulled out a simple, yet beautiful wand. I couldn't help but hope this was mine, because my arm was really starting to hurt. Regardless, I picked it up, feeling the cool smooth wood beneath my fingers which wrapped around the surface perfectly and almost instantly I felt a tingling sensation and shiny blue sparks burst forth from the end with loud popping sounds. Ollivanders clapped his hands together excitedly.

"Fantastic, I knew we had the right wand for you here! We just needed to do some digging! I know every wand I ever have stored within this shop and, while normal in appearance, that wand can do more than most could when placed in the right hands. Use it well and come again. Though I would hope you won't need to do so." I had no idea what he was talking about so I handed him his money and walked back out to the cobbled street, almost being toppled over by two kids my age, running side by side into the wand shop. After regaining my balance, I slowly walked over to where Hagrid was waiting for me.

"So then, I got a surprise fer yeh Eva. Yer Hogwarts letter says yeh could get yerself a pet don' it?" I saw where this was going.

"Hagrid, I really don't..." He clapped me on the back and steered me gently towards a pet shop across the road before I had a chance to protest.

"Eh, it won't take too long an' I think yeh could use the company!" So I let myself be led into yet another shop called the Magical Menagerie.

As expected, it smelled like animals. As I looked around at all the strange looking creatures my eyes fell on a small, fluffy black kitten with big, intelligent green eyes. It looked relatively normal, but something about it was strange, off, though I couldn't tell just what. It tilted its head to the side and seemed to look at me curiously. As I walked over to it, a short plump little witch emerged from the back room, footsteps barley heard above the calls of the animals

"Ah, another new student, I see you've met Midnight." I nodded and laughed as the little cat nuzzled my hand with its furry black head.

"That one's a real sweetie. I've been trying to get her an owner since the darling first got here." Midnight sprang up into my arms and I laughed as she butted her head against my arm.

"Seems that she likes ya." Hagrid smiled from where he was hunched over to avoid hitting the lower then accustomed to ceiling.

"Well Eva, I think you've made your first friend eh?" Hagrid paid the plump little witch and I walked out with Midnight. I felt my heart leap. I had never really had a friend before, even a cat. I looked down at the little ball of fur in my arms.

After a few more minutes of walking, we stopped back near the little ice cream shop. I looked up to see the sky tinged with bright reds and purples. The crowds were thinning now as everyone was heading back home for dinner and a good-nights rest.

"Well, looks as if it's getting a bit late. I'll go on send ya back home and give you your ticket, see ya' at Hogwarts!" He gave me a ticket and the old piece of tin and after one more tug I was back standing at my front door.

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As I lay in bed that night, Midnight curled up in a fuzzy ball at my feet, I started to think maybe, just maybe, things would turn out better than I had first thought. In one week, on September the first, I would be heading to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was going to be a real witch.

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**A/N: Okay, time for some explaining. Yes I know Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore should be dead and I promise I didn't just randomly pop them in here. A few others are back as well but it is not without reason and there will be explanations. No, I did not bring them back from the dead in the story.**

**I also know that Sirius would not be seen as the professor sort, which is why I made him Quidditch instructor and not charms professor for one thing. There is a reason he needs to be up at the school and I think the position he is in wouldn't be that far fetched as it probably would**

**A) make him feel closer to James as in every fic I've read he's obsessed with the sport**

**B) chance to inspire a whole new generation of trouble makers.**

**And**

**C) I think he would like being at Hogwarts again...plus it's better then him living alone or in that creepy house...**

**Yes I realize the background may seem like the start of a Sue, but I assure you she is not. I honestly hate when people automatically label a OC as Sue or stu before they get to the third chapter. I think that some people on this site have gotten so used to hearing the term used yet not bothering to look up the meaning that they stick the name on any character they don't like or don't think is written as well as the others. Some are Sue's yes, but please don't get in the habit of just sticking it on every OC with one characteristic of a Sue. If every character with a sad backstory was one and people refused to read it where would our wonderful book series of Harry Potter be? Exactly, it can be close, it can be on the line, but if it has not yet crossed it it is not there. That said if I am coming close to that line I would like to know.**

**This is set four years after the books so be prepared for lots of new faces and OC's as no one we already know are student's at this time.**


	2. Heading to Hogwarts at last

Ch.2 Heading to Hogwarts at last!

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Disclaimer: I don't own HP; I do own Eva Winters and all the other OCs that come with this story.

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**AN: Remember to review, I can't write if you don't like! Again, I explain things at the bottom. Though I do want to say something. Kinda another teary moment here, but please, keep reading. It picks up after this. this is a lot shorter than last chapter.**

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_'It's here, how could it already be here?'_

Aunt Lucy had picked us up from the house two hours ago. Now, we were on our way to Kings Cross station, stuck in London's heavy morning traffic. "I hope you have a great time at school, Eva and try not to worry of things here. If anything happens while you are gone we will let you know as soon as possible."

I nodded absentmindedly. I know my aunt was trying to help make me feel better but I couldn't say she was doing such a great job of it. Not to mention the problem with how she would get the news to me.

Midnight was fast asleep in her favorite spot on my lap with her head tucked under her front paw and stirring about every once and a while as I stared out the car window, watching as the busy streets of London sped by. I glanced over nervously to where mum was asleep in the passenger seat, her brown hair falling down over her closed eyes. We were almost there. That meant I wouldn't be able to see her again until Christmas.

**~O-o-O-o-O~**

Before I knew it, we had arrived at Kings Cross Station and Aunt Lucy was helping me unpack my things from the trunk and haul them down the crowded stairs into the train station down below. I couldn't bring myself to wake mum after the week she had been through so Aunt Lucy promised to say goodbye for me; I just wish I had been able to do it myself. We stopped in front of a map station. The Hogwarts Express wasn't shown anywhere on the map.

"Eva, are you sure you don't want me to help find the train? You said it leaves at 11:00 and its 10:37 now, if you got lost and missed it your mother would kill me." I shook my head in answer as Aunt Lucy gave me a worried-aunt like look and passed me my heavy trunks. If I couldn't find it she wouldn't either. The ticket said Platform 9 ¾, but I'm pretty sure if I told anyone that number, they would either say it's a typo or look at me like I'd gone batty, even if it was my own aunt.

"It's fine Aunt Lucy, really it is. If I get lost I'll just..." My eyes widened in surprise and I trailed off as I spotted one of the two men from the Leaky Cauldron. Professor Lupin, if I remembered right. He was standing calmly by himself only a few feet from where we were talking, watching us. Aunt Lucy turned to look in the direction I was staring as the professor strode over.

"Good morning Eva." He nodded at me and then at my aunt who was starting to look very confused.

"My name is Remus J. Lupin and I will be one of Eva's professors up at the school. I saw you two talking and thought she could use some help finding her train. There was a slight mix up when they put this here and it was never placed on the map. Still trying and still failing to get it smoothed out." He said, smiling.

_Nice cover-up._

Midnight got up from where she had been lying at my feet and walked over to the professor. After studying him for a moment she started rubbing up against his leg, purring loudly. The professor chuckled and bent to scratch the little black kitten behind her ears.

"Well, looks as if you made a new friend since we last met. You know, animals really are fascinating creatures. When it comes to people they seem to have much better judgment of them than most humans ever will." Aunt Lucy smiled slightly. I might have imagined it, but for a second it looked like Midnight actually winked at the professor.

"Well, if your new cat says he's okay then I better let him help you. Wouldn't do for you to be late for your train would it? I'm Eva's Aunt Lucy. It's been a pleasure to meet you, professor. Well, I guess if everything is covered on this end I'll be taking her mother up to my place. I'll see you for Christmas holidays Eva." She hugged me tightly and whispered for me to be safe before giving one last small smile and shaking the professor's hand. I watched as she rushed back up to the car.

I scooped up my cat and turned around to face Professor Lupin.

"I guess we should be going now as well, before the train leaves. Well, either that or we get trampled to death." He added the last part with a small smile as he nearly collided with a man whose head was stuck a little too far into his morning paper.

As we walked I started to notice a lot of kids and families sticking out in the large morning crowd of people wearing strange clothes while lugging their various trunks and animal cages behind them, all rushing in the same general direction we were headed in. "Professor Lupin, are those the other Hogwarts students?"

"Ah, so she does speak." He smiled and nodded, "Yes Eva, those are the other students, and here is the platform!"

I frowned. There was nothing in front of us but a solid brick divider between platforms nine and ten. What was I supposed to be seeing here?

Out of the crowd I suddenly spotted two kids about my age, if not a little older, running full speed with their luggage towards the brick.

_There's no way they will be able to stop in time. What are they thinking?_

Before I could so much as shout a warning at them, they collided with the divider and...they vanished! It was as though they had gone inside the divider, but that was insane! For what must have been the hundredth time in the past two weeks, I felt my mouth drop open.

Midnight, who I was still holding, nudged my arm with her head and looked from me to the divider; I could have sworn that little cat was trying to tell me something. I casually glanced around, trying to see if anyone else had noticed what had happened without making it too obvious, but it seemed all of Kings Cross station had become bloody obvious!

Professor Lupin grinned at my puzzled expression. "Well, as I am sure you've just noticed, the only way to get to Platform 9 ¾ is through that divide right over there. On the other side of it sits the Hogwarts Express. As this is your first time, just take a running start, and whatever you do don't veer off course. I will come in right behind you. I'm going to need to have a talk with those students about being a little bit more inconspicuous at entering next time."

I looked back up at him like he was insane. I honestly didn't feel like ending up a splat on some brick wall somewhere, but regardless, I did as was asked. I could just imagine the news headline.

**"Worst suicide attempt in London history, eleven year old girl kills herself running full speed into solid brick divider at Kings cross station. What was she thinking? The inside scoop on the effect of a eleven year old child's disturbed mind!"**

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes tightly, and started running. The impact didn't come.

_Surely I would have hit the divider by now?_ I decided to risk opening my eyes. When I did I came to an abrupt halt. I heard myself let out a short gasp. _What is this place?_

In front of me was a massive, bright, crimson red streamliner. The name Hogwarts Express couldn't be missed, painted in massive gold lettering on its side. I turned around in a complete 360, soaking in everything I could see, hear, and sense.

High above me hung a sign bearing the platform number written in purple script: **Platform 9 ¾. **Where the trick divider once stood was now a high golden gate welcoming the newcomers. Everywhere in the platform people rushed about in frenzy, shoving belongings and children onto the bright red steam engine while wishing family luck with the coming year. It was all so new, so bright, so happy. I looked around at the many bright smiling faces. They stood everywhere, giving goodbyes, hugs and tears all around, parents giving last minute advice before watching their children board the Hogwarts Express.

Next to these people I couldn't have felt more out of place then I did now. I know it sounds selfish of me, and it probably was at that, but as I watched them all I couldn't help but suddenly think how unfair it was as the excitement quickly drained away. The kids were so excited for school, impatient to break away from their family's embrace and run aboard the welcoming steam engine in an attempt to get the remaining good seats with their friends and siblings. I looked on at the parents who watched them proudly from the sidelines, making their kids promise to write every other day for updates and at the same time reminding them of the consequences if they didn't behave while at school. I watched one family nearby as they were already shouting out suggestions to each other for what to do when Christmas holidays came round.

Then there was me. After the excitement I had felt up until only seconds before, I now felt strangely hollow inside. It felt like I was missing something that could never be returned. I realized what it was. I was alone. I was always alone.

These kids didn't have a bloody clue how good they had it! I had never gotten to so much as to say goodbye to my mother, and my dad would never be proud of me like these fathers were of their kids. I didn't have friends or siblings to sit with, I didn't have magical parents who could explain all this mumbo jumbo to me, and I didn't even get a hug goodbye before leaving. I mean, sure I got one from Aunt Lucy, but she's not a parent to me. Before today she hadn't even visited in three years! She wasn't the one that I came home to everyday after school, or the one who I told my problems. She didn't come up with surprises on my birthday when no one showed up at my parties or the one to tell stories at night when I was little. No, the only people who ever did those things for me just happen to be the two that I may never have seen again… Dad was gone and no one knew what could happen to mum.

I bit my lip, remembering back to before, to when everything we needed was already there. We had never had much, but we could always count on each other. My dad had always been there for me, always willing to talk when I needed someone to listen. He was one of the only people I ever felt close enough to talk to, to confide in.

I never had much luck with friends at school; most people thought I was too different from them...and they were right. I couldn't help but think that If it wasn't for this magic dad never would have left. I knew what mum had said, but I couldn't help but wonder that if I was just normal, maybe things would be back to how they were before. I would have traded it all for my family to be back together again. But it was too late for that.

Before I knew it I was crying, hot tears sliding down my cheeks and blurring my vision. I didn't try to hide them. I didn't notice when Midnight jumped down from my arms and padded quietly over to Professor Lupin, who had just come through the post and was silently walking towards me.

I jumped slightly and turned as he put a hand on my shoulder. I didn't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I was seeing. When the Professor looked at me, it was almost as if he knew exactly what I was thinking, what it was I was feeling, and it was if he understood all of it. What I saw there wasn't pity, but understanding. These past two weeks I had done everything in my power to keep it all locked up, to avoid being hurt by hiding behind a barrier I hadn't even realized I put up. Now that he was looking at me, it was like every protective wall I had placed to keep people out was crumbling down into pieces at my feet. As I meet his eyes I was shocked to see the pain that briefly flashed into sight.

Almost as soon as it appeared it vanished from sight leaving me to wonder if I had ever seen any of it at all. "I know it's hard to be hurt by people you care about, but don't let that keep you from letting others in."

I looked away, painfully aware of the tears still flowing freely down my face. "It's just… I thought that he cared about me. How could he leave me like this... he didn't even say goodbye." I didn't know why I was talking about any of this to him, a man I just met a week before. I just couldn't stop. I wanted to trust someone and something about him was different.

"He hates me, I didn't even do anything and he bloody hates me." I didn't recognize my own voice, it sounded hollow and distant even to my own ears. There was almost no emotion in it, and I found I just couldn't bring myself to care anymore. I finally looked him in the eyes and there was only one question on my mind.

"Why?"

The expression he wore was a mask, but now there was no mistaking it, the look in his eyes were different. They were distant, as if he was thinking of something from a long time ago, something painful. "I've asked that question myself more times than I can count, and I don't know why." It almost sounded as if he was talking to himself more than me. After a moment the look was gone again.

He looked up at the enormous clock overhead. "We need to go. The train leaves any minute." I let myself be led onto the train, but I didn't notice anything about my surroundings as I had when I first entered. I was oblivious to the curious looks sent by other students from inside their compartments at a teacher being on the train as we walked past them. I didn't hear any of the talking or laughter from the students inside. I didn't hear anything but a voice, continually repeating itself inside my head, about how much my father hated me, about how no matter what mum told me so did she, that I was alone, and that no matter how illogical it sounded it was all my fault. Everything else was static in the background.

In my head was an image of the night I received my acceptance letter. I remembered so clearly the way my father had looked at me as he realized it wasn't a joke, that what was happening was not fake, but very, very real. I remembered the way he had gone from laughing to that bottomless hate that he showed in his eyes. Seeing a side of him I had never known about, a side that scared me more than anything I had ever seen in my life. Hating me for a reason I could not and still cannot understand. Most of all, I remembered waking up to know my world was gone and that nothing would ever be the same again.

Everything I did had a dream like quality to it, like any moment I would wake up back in my own bed. But I knew it wasn't a dream, by now I had already accepted that fact.

I was led to a seat in an empty compartment and fell asleep instantly, Midnight lying protectively next to me.

**-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-**

**Sirius POV**

"Moony!" I watched as a knackered looking Remus walked slowly over and sank down on the seat next to me. _Now what's got him looking so sour?_ "So, did all go well with the first year?" He just raised his eyebrows and I silently cursed myself.

_One of these days those things are going to become a permanent part of his hairline. Idiot, course everything didn't go 'all right'. He looks like someone just told him his best friend kicked the bucket and he missed the funeral. Though, since I am sitting right next to him that probably isn't the case._

"Actually Padfoot, I just had a particularly bad flashback. What Hagrid said last week at the Leaky Cauldron was closer to the truth then he could ever guess." Remus started massaging his temples. "She was talking to herself, well more like mumbling really. I don't even think she realized she was doing it." I watched as my best friend shook his head. "If it was anyone but me it would have been too quiet to hear any of it anyway. Even I only managed to hear part of it. Guess that's at least one perk of being a werewolf."

"Moony, what are you going on about?" I cast a wary look at his clenched fists. It was never a good sign when Remus John Lupin started making werewolf remarks.

"Sirius, do you remember how Hagrid started to talk about her parents last week? How he said her mum was sick but before he mentioned anything else about the situation he stopped? It doesn't sound much like Hagrid does it?" I frowned, nodding. He had a point there. Hagrid has never been known for his subtlety with keeping secrets, especially when he's put under pressure.

"Well, when Dumbledore asked me to meet him in his office about a new student, he wanted me to be there to find her and help get her to the platform. I tried to learn more about her, why it was so important, but as unusual he wouldn't give anything that wasn't required to be given." I nodded.

"Sounds like old Dumbledore to me. Keep on."

"I was slightly shocked when I realized she was the same girl with Hagrid from the leaky cauldron last week, but when I found her I did what Dumbledore asked. At first she was fine, yes shy but nothing was wrong with that. When I entered the platform behind her at first she seemed almost excited about what was happening, but within seconds it was like she just shut down. The way she was watching all these families, she looked so lost, she reminded me of... me. No one had been there to tell her goodbye and promise to write to her, no one was there to her tell behave, no one was there to tell her about anything."

I snorted. "Lucky girl. That was always the most annoying thing. Every year since first hear when she found out I was a Gryffindor without fail Mum would take five minutes yelling at me in front of the entire station to shape up and stop disgracing—" Moony shot me a look, the one that makes you stop dead in mid-sentence instantly. "Right, continue on."

"As I was saying, before I met you, James, and Peter, I never had anyone but my parents, and at least I was able to get some comfort from them. She didn't even have that."

I apprehensively placed an arm on his shoulder, I'm never the best person to do this, even with Harry I have a hard time. "Moony, I know you. You never upset easy, and I realize it would be hard on you to remember all of that, but I also know it takes more to upset you then a few ruddy resurfaced memories. Trust me, I spent thirteen bloody years reliving the worst of mine, but you've stood up to Death Eaters for crying out loud!" He raised his eyebrows at me, again. Merlin, he knows I hate when he does that. "Okay, so maybe I went a bit far with that last sentence."

Remus stared at me for a moment before sighing and continuing where he left off, "Padfoot, it was what she said. Her dad left the night she was sent the letter. From what I understood, her father was the one she had always gone to, but the moment he found out she was a witch he packed up his bags, wrote a note, and just left. I've gone through things like this more times than I really care to remember. When I was a child, the moment someone found out about my 'little problem' they avoided me like the plague, but to get something like that from a parent that has always been there, someone you thought you could go to with anything, have treated her that way. When she finally realized I was there..."

"Yes?"

"It isn't normal for a child to act like that at eleven years old... Sirius, the look she had in her eyes... it reminded me… it reminded me of you, right after you escaped from Azkaban. They were so dead. Those were not the eyes a child should have. No child should ever have to look like that."

I just looked at Remus, my only remaining best friend. Besides Harry, he was the closest to real family I had left. Azkaban, the wizard prison I was locked in for thirteen years, I still have nightmares about it, the cold emptiness, the feeling you will never be happy again, once in that place you will never feel the same, never forget what you saw there. All because I was framed for a murder I didn't commit, the murder of my best friend when the real traitor was Peter Pettigrew…little rat. I still can't believe that I suspected Remus.

For once, no matter how much I wanted to, there was nothing I could say. So we just sat there, each lost in our own personal thoughts and memories as we pulled out of the station, quickly gathering speed, and the bright England landscape passed by us outside the window.

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**AN: For those of you who don't know, "knackered" means tired.**

**Okay, explaining time once more. This is not going to be a whole, "everyone feels sorry for her and she gets anything she wants" kind of fic. I find those annoying. She won't get special attention or treatment because of her background and it is not put there just for tear jerker moments. It has a point. To see the point you have to keep reading.**

**I'm kinda wondering who all is already connecting the dots here. This story is going to be fun to write! Oh the twists I'm coming up with!**


	3. New Friends, new home, new house

**Ch. 3 New Friends, New House, New Home!**

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_Disclaimer: Again, I do not own Harry Potter, I wish I did, if you think I do then you're as crazy as Kreacher!_

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**AN: Sorting time, new crazy friends, on with the story! R&R!**

**Remember that you guys are the ones that give me inspiration, and I can't write if you don't like! I know it's going slow so far, but I've to updated chapter 8 now and let me tell you, you want to keep reading for that. Don't skip ahead though; it will get very confusing for you. **

**Longer chapter, she finally gets introduced to friends and Hogwarts! Also you're going to see something here taken from the movie. I tend to mash them together unless they are those screw ups with the story and events. You'll see what I mean in a minute. Though a few of those really made me made...they didn't put in Peeves! This could probably be better, I revised it in sort of a rush and I can't really tell if I made it better or worse.**

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I started awake as the compartment door slid quietly open with a soft hissing noise and a boy and girl of about the same age as me stepped inside with their luggage rolling along behind them.

"Oh, I'm sorry; we didn't mean to wake you. We were just trying to find somewhere to sit. All the other compartments are all taken by now. I'm Sorra Neal by the way, and this is Kyle Neal, my twin brother." She indicated the boy standing next to her. "Not identical of course, or we wouldn't be brother and sister."

She smiled sheepishly. "Do you mind if we sit in here?" They both had ink black hair and bright almond shaped amber eyes, specked with small gold flakes, olive skin and oval shaped faces littered with a few too many freckles and both with very slight over-bites. Her brother looked to be about an inch taller than her with slightly messy hair of medium length while his sister's hair went to her shoulder blades in slight waves. They reminded me slightly of the kind of popular kids back at school, and I was surprised they had even noticed me. I nodded hesitantly and they immediately put their luggage on the racks above the seats and sat down in across from me. Sorra looked at me curiously, smiling and seeming to genially be trying to be friendly.

"So, what house are you hoping to be in? Our mum was a half-blood Hufflepuff and our dad was pure-blood Ravenclaw. We've been told we have a bit of both in us; though I think my brother would be better use with the other muscle headed jokers put over in the Gryffindor house." Her twin shot her a playful look.

"Well sis, I guess you'll just have to be the first victim of our said jokes," He laughed as Sorra punched him playfully on the arm. "Geez, can't take a joke?"

"I am about to enlarge your head, brother dear. You're not the only one with a wand now." He stuck out his tongue and pretended to hide behind his hands. Sorra just smirked at him and teasingly rolled her eyes before turning back to me.

"Honestly, I think the four houses are all good in their own way—well, except maybe Slytherin, for obvious reasons. I don't think I would want to be in there. Not all Slytherins are bad, of course. Merlin himself came from that house, and he was one of the greatest wizards of all time. The majority of them though don't sound that nice, you know?" I gave Sorra a confused look.

"Actually, to tell you the truth, I don't. I'm Eva Winters, I only found out I was a witch about two weeks ago." Kyle grinned brightly. I could almost see the light going on in his head.

"Ah, so you're muggle-born then! Well that explains the outfit!" I frowned and glanced down. I didn't think he had meant to be rude, and I could definitely see where he was coming from. My jeans and hoodie probably stood out like a sore thumb.

Midnight got up from the seat she had been in, yawned, and then loudly meowed her agreement before the tiny kitten settled down on my lap once again. Sorra giggled.

"How cute! It's like she actually understands us! Well, anyway, there are four houses in Hogwarts. In your first year you get sorted into one of them by the kind of person you are, at least that's how I understand it, but I'm sure it's much more complex than I'm making it out to be. Anyway, the four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Gryffindor is the house of bravery and courage, Ravenclaw is for intelligence and wit, Hufflepuff is kindness, compassion, and hard work, and Slytherin is for cunning and power. Most of the magical world's worst dark wizards have come from the Slytherin house, some of the best, most unique, and sometimes the craziest minds come from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff has some of the nicest, level-headed people around, and some of the most famous heroes in history come from Gryffindor, including the headmaster himself and Harry Potter!" Kyle chuckled and rolled his eyes in a 'not again' kinda way.

"My sister is obsessed with Harry Potter. If he didn't already have a relationship with a red-headed Ginny Weasley girl then she'd probably go ask him out herself, age gap and all..." Kyle caught the look on my face and slowly continued, "...and you have no idea who we're talking about, do you?" I shook my head. "Not much of a talker either?"

"So I've heard," I answered dryly. The twins looked at each other, and it almost seemed like they were communicating without really, well communicating. All of the sudden Kyle broke out in a broad grin.

"Well then, seeing as mum was kind enough to give us money to spend on the train, I'm going to go get some snacks! I don't want to wait for the trolly any longer." And with that, he jumped up from his seat and rushed out the compartment door in search of the snack trolley.

We sat in a awkward silence for a few minutes as the bright England countryside passed by outside the window, neither of us speaking and the quietness of the space only occasionally broken by the sounds of yelling and laughter emitting from neighboring compartments. Every now and again I could catch Sorra glancing over at me, like she wanted to ask something but for some reason never seemed able to quite get it out. That was more than fine with me though, I didn't feel much like talking to anyone. After a while Sorra gave up and started staring out the window as well.

Kyle walked back in minutes later, arms full to overflowing with colorful wrapped snack packages and bottles. He seemed to sense the tension and cast a questioning look between the two of us before shrugging and turning round to me.

"I'm going to go ahead and safely guess that you've never tried any wizard sweets before, since, you know, you're a muggle-born and all. So, I thought I'd just go ahead and get some for everyone." He smiled and split the candy into three piles, which he then handed out to each of us. I took mine hesitantly, realizing that this kid, just like Hagrid last week, would probably ignore any protest I'd make against it.

"So, we have Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans—and they do mean every flavor when they say that—Chocolate Frogs, Ice Mice, and Licorice Wands. I also got us some butter-beer. You may now applaud." He did a goofy bow and his sister shoved him, making him fall hard onto the compartment floor. He glared up at his chuckling twin. "What was that bloody for?"

"Being such an idiot! Merlin Kyle, you are such a showoff!." He got up from the ground and brushed himself off with a childish pout. The look of him standing there like that was so funny I couldn't keep myself from laughing a bit. The second I did so, two pairs of amber colored eyes zoomed in on me like heat seekers. Sorra got up and stood beside her brother, grinning ear to ear, while Kyle just stood with a triumphant looking smirk on his face.

"She does laugh! You did it Kyle, you bloody did it!" He looked at his sister.

"Told you I could, and here you doubted me. Really, Sorra, you have no faith!" I stared between the two in confusion.

"Bloody did what now?" Those two were off their rockers.

Sorra shrugged. "Well, I know we just met and all, but it seemed like you were kinda down, so..." Here Kyle butted in.

"We decided to take it upon ourselves to cheer you up! You see, we don't really know anyone here either and we both noticed how you were laying about there all by yourself so we thought that you might be feeling a little homesick or something, and...we wanted to help you out!" I looked between the two twins in disbelief. No one had ever done anything like that for me before and it felt...good. I guess I couldn't be mad at them for that. I looked down at the little pile of sweets they had bought me and silently made myself a promise to pay them back for it someday.

"Thank you..." I had never had any friends before and all the kids at my old school tended to avoid me. I was always that girl who was too smart, too geeky, and just...different from everyone else. The teachers were really the only ones who were ever nice to me, and that didn't seem help my reputation at all. I looked at the two smiling faces across from me and felt the first real spark of hope I had felt in weeks. Maybe, just this once, I could let someone in. It would be nice to have someone to talk to every once and awhile. Maybe I could have some friends. I suddenly felt my heart sink. But what if something happens? If I do something wrong? How could I handle losing someone, again?

I looked down at Midnight, still fast asleep on my lap. From what I understood I would be at Hogwarts for the next seven years of my life, and though Midnight was incredibly sweet, I wasn't sure I wanted to spend those years with only a cat for company. I looked back at the two puzzled faces in front of me.

"So...what do you say? Are you up for some company?" The twins were looking at me expectantly. I nodded and smiled a little.

"Well, I'm guessing you're not going to take no for an answer, are you?" They both broke out into two matching grins. I picked up a Chocolate Frog and studied the wrapper. "This isn't a real frog, is it?" Sorra shook her head.

"Then what is it?" Kyle shared another look with his sister. I was starting to feel nervous.

"Open it and see." I opened the wrapping and let out a loud yelp as something hopped out of the wrapping. It took all of fifteen seconds. The Chocolate Frog had jumped out of the box and onto the floor. Kyle was rolling on the ground laughing and Sorra looked like she was using every ounce of willpower to stay up straight and not do the same thing. Midnight had woken up at my scream and sped off in hot pursuit of the frog, skidding all over the compartment trying to do so. I was just sitting there, staring with what was probably an incredibly dumb, extremely stunned expression on my face.

Midnight caught the frog, and before anyone could stop her she bit the head off. Kyle clutched his sides and laughed even harder than before, if possible, as Sorra ran over to Midnight sat licking her paws.

"Hey, cats aren't supposed to have chocolate!" Sorra grabbed Midnight by the scruff of her neck and brought her back to my lap. "Sorry, Eva, we forgot to tell you the Chocolate Frogs are charmed to move and sound like real frogs."

Sorra didn't look too sorry to me. In fact, it looked like she might just bust a rib from trying not to laugh. Kyle on the other hand wasn't trying to hold back anything. It was just at that moment that he found enough self-control to stop laughing long enough to get up from the floor. It was pretty obvious which twin was the more considerate one, and it was not Kyle. After a few seconds, I couldn't help but smile as well. Then I looked at the messy, melting, inanimate brown goop of a mess lying on the floor.

"I never even got to try it." I said, slightly disappointed.

Kyle's eyes widened in fear as Sorra's looked over at his own chocolate frog, her face twisted into an evil smile.

"That's fine, Eva, I'm sure Kyle would be more than happy to give you his. Seeing as it's your first time trying it." She snatched the Frog from her brother before he could shout his protest and handed it over to me. "Each Chocolate Frog has a card inside its box, for a collection, you know? They're Famous Witch and Wizard Cards, each one tells you a bit about the person that's on it."

I opened the box, being careful not to let the frog go this time, and ate it in in four bites. Inside the box was, just as she had said, a card.

I looked at the front and saw a name printed at the top.

"Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived"

I turned it over, the back of the card was a picture of a twenty-something year old guy with messy black hair and wire frame glasses. He was tall and had a skinny frame with a lightning bolt scar just visible on top his forehead. Bright green eyes and a happy smile completed the picture. I jumped in my seat as the man in the card waved.

I heard Sorra gasp beside me while my own eyes stayed glued to the card. "Wow... he's one of the rarest ones in the collection! I've been looking for it since it came out!" Sorra looked slightly disappointed as she glared at her own card. "I just got Morgana. I never liked her, I swear the creepy hag gives me the evil eye every time I pick up the card." I looked at her, eyes wide.

"His picture moved!"

Kyle laughed and rolled his eyes. "Well of course it moved! He's not just going to stand there all day is he? That would be ridiculous!"

"Oh, right. Ridiculous... Kind of dumb of me I guess." I looked back down at the card, smiling slightly as the man waved again. It seemed like I had a lot to learn about the Wizarding world and I'd be lucky if I survived the experience without a heart attack of my own.

"Is anyone up for a quick game of Exploding Snap? I brought a pack with me from home." Kyle was rummaging through his luggage and held out a pack of playing cards.

I spent the rest of the train ride sampling wizard sweets, (I think I might have gotten a liver flavored bean in the process), learning how to play Exploding Snap, and desperately trying not to have my eyebrows singed off in the process. Kyle and Sorra filled me in on the wizarding world, and I tried to tell them about the 'muggle world' the best I could. It seemed they were just as interested in where I came from-if not more- than I was of where they came from. It was kind of awkward at first, seeing as no one had ever been interested in anything about me before now, but after a while it actually started to be fun sharing stories with them.

A few hours later we heard our compartment door slide open and an older looking student with a shiny badge on his chest informed us that we would be arriving at the school shortly and to take care of any last minute preparing that needed to be done.

I put Midnight into her carrier—which she looked none too pleased about—gathered my remaining snacks, and tugged on my new black robes and hat.

The train came to a complete stop and it was announced that we had arrived at Hogwarts.

**O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O**

"How do you think they're going to sort us?" Kyle was literally bouncing up and down like a kid on a sugar high. Then again, he was a kid on a sugar high. The twins and I stood together on the small platform waiting patiently, or some not so patiently, to leave and finally catch our first glimpse of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"I don't know Kyle, I'm a muggle-born remember?"

"Oh, right." Kyle grinned sheepishly. "Forget I said that."

We were dismissed and told, rather cryptically may I add, that our belongings would find us when it was time for bed.

"Firs' years, firs' years over here! Firs' years this way!"

"Hagrid!" I waved at him. He was unmistakable, rising above the rest of the crowed with a lit lantern burning brightly and held out high in his hand. He grinned and we headed over to see him.

"Eva! Looks like you made yerself new friends eh? Knew ya had it in ya." The twins were staring up at Hagrid in shock, wide eyed and mouths open. I vaguely wondered if that was how I looked when I had first seen Hagrid on my front steps. No wonder mom had laughed.

"Well, go on, you lot! Pick a boat, any old one will do!" He boomed with laughter as Sorra and Kyle practically raced each other to the nearest boat, dragging me along behind them.

I looked around, confused. Where were the paddles? Looking around, I saw the other first years come to the same realization I had. Just as I was about to ask Hagrid how we were to row I felt a sudden jerk and he call out, "Onward!"

I gasped in shock as the tiny boats pushed off from the rocky shore and began to propel themselves forward across the mirror smooth lake, leaving ripples in the wake. I heard my own quite gasp mixed in with the rest of the new students as we rounded a bend and caught sight of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the first time.

It was incredible. A castle straight from a storybook cover! The light shining through the thousands of windows reflected on the glossy black water. I looked in awe at the four soaring towers. This castle could have fit my old school ten times over, if not more. I couldn't help but feel incredibly small next to the place sitting up high and proud above us. We had to duck our heads as the boats passed under a low lying cliff, covered in dangling vines, and entered a small, sandy, hidden alcove. We all got out from the boats, careful not to tip over and fall into the water while doing so, and stared around the small entrance in wonder.

"OY! Earth to Eva! I said, snap out of it!" I jumped, realizing the twins were trying to get my attention.

"Huh?"

Kyle rolled his eyes and shook his head. "We said, get a move on! We're going to fall behind!"

I looked around and sure enough, the others were already pulling ahead of us, following Hagrid up to the big wooden doors leading into the castle. I guessed we were going in a different way than the rest of the school.

_Nice way to start off Eva. Next thing you know you'll lose your wand in the lake or something._

We hurried to catch up with the other first years. The three of us had just caught up with the group when a girl's shrill scream cut through the nervous chatter.

"My hair, what's pulling at my hair?" I stared at her, wondering what she could be talking about. She was swatting at the air above her head, face screwed up in irritation. Nothing was there.

"I'll bet that's Peeves the Poltergeist," Kyle said, rolling his eyes. "Dad told us all about him; he's always stirring up some kind of trouble. It's his favorite past time."

Sure enough, I could have sworn I heard a fit of raucous laughter coming down from the other side of the torch lit hallway. As I pondered what a poltergeist was, a stern looking woman in emerald green robes and black square spectacles came walking towards us, black hair pulled back in a tight bun and looking extremely vexed. The first thought that wormed its way into my head was that this was not someone I wanted to cross. She glared over in the direction of the hidden laughter.

"Peeves again, don't panic." She took a deep breath and shook her head. "My name is Minerva McGonagall and I'm the head of Gryffindor and Transfiguration teacher here at Hogwarts. Hagrid, I can take them from here." Hagrid nodded at her and went through a set of huge, heavy oak doors.

"Peeves is a poltergeist, he pulls things like this every single year. Now, if you will follow me into the Great Hall, you will be sorted into one of the four houses—Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin." I noted the proud smirk on her face when she said Gryffindor. "After the feast you will follow your house prefects to your dormitories, where your belongings are waiting for you. I wish you all the best of luck, now please follow me."

With that she turned on her heel and led the way through the heavy oak doors. Kyle, Sorra, and I followed close together at the back of the first years.

I heard gasps from the kids up ahead as they entered and we then saw why as we walked in to the Great Hall and our own gasps mingled among them.

It was enormous. My gaze traveled upwards and I gaped at the ceiling—or, rather, the stars and bright crescent moon that composed the ceiling. It looked just like the sky outside had, all the way to the crescent moon soaring high above. Sorra told me about the enchantment from what her parents had explained, but it was a completely different experience seeing it in person.

Candles were floating high above four long tables, one for each house with a colorful banner hanging proudly above each one, and all around the rest of the room. Pearly-white, nearly transparent...ghosts, I guess, were seated among the students and floating up and around the great hall.

We were led right in front of the professor's long table facing the entire student body. Every eye was now solely on us.

My attention was redirected as a small stocky man placed an old hat on a three-legged stool in front of us. Forget old, it looked ancient. Suddenly the seam of the hat split open and every first year jumped as it started to sing.

To be totally honest, I was too shocked that it could even talk to hear much what it was saying. Though I did get something about the four houses, the name sorting hat, and place me upon your head. I have to admit, out of all the insane and crazy things I had seen so far in the Wizarding world, a ratty, dirty, bloody singing hat had to be at the top of my list, and I had already seen some pretty insane and crazy far out things already.

It seemed the hat had finished its song and the room erupted into applause. Professor McGonagall walked back to the front with a scroll in her hand and all chatter was immediately silenced.

"It is now time for the Sorting. When I call your name, come up front, sit on the stool, and put the Sorting Hat on your head. You will then be sorted in your respective houses. Go sit with your house once you're sorted." Okay, so all I need to do is put on a hat, nothing to worry about.

"Asdrea, Ria...Hufflepuff!" It's no big deal.

"Ernest, Drake...Slytherin!" Just stay calm. One by one they were called, and one by one they were called and sorted. Then came the twins.

"Neal, Sorra!" She jumped at her name and rushed hurriedly over to the stool. Over a minute passed and whispers were spreading rapidly across the room, but finally the hat had decided. "Ravenclaw!" She looked surprised at this choice, though not at all disappointed. Sorra took off the hat and ran, grinning, to the wildly cheering Ravenclaw table.

After the clapping had died down the Sorting resumed. Picking up with—

"Neal, Kyle" Just like his sister, it took a minute, but the sorting hat had made its final decision. "Ravenclaw!" Kyle practically flew down to join Sorra at Ravenclaw. I saw them hug each other and I silently begged to be placed in Ravenclaw, with my...friends? It was still strange to think about that.

I watched as twenty or so more first years were sorted, each one getting a roaring applause from each of their houses, until at last it was my turn. I was the only one left to be sorted. I cast a hopeful glance at the twins and walked to the stool. As soon as I placed the hat on top of my head all noise ceased.

**_"Well, well, well, very interesting. This is going to be a tricky one."_** I felt myself jump. _Did the hat just talk in my head?_

**_"Yes, Eva, I did. Now, where to put you? I see plenty of intelligence, a strong will to learn...You are also incredibly brave and loyal to your loved ones as well, in your own way, you'll discover that a bit later though... I can see plenty of kindness housed inside of you...though it would be wise to not let those recent events block that kindness from others... There is plenty of cunning as well, and a thirst to be recognized by others...to be known, wanted by other people around you and to be accepted for who you are. Hm, this is a very hard choice indeed. Tell me, where would you like to be?"_ **I thought for a moment. _I don't know, I don't think I would like Slytherin that much, I don't feel like a Hufflepuff, and I definitely don't feel brave like a Gryffindor._ The hat was silent for a moment.

**_"Well then, it had better be…...RAVENCLAW!"_** I took off the hat and almost fell over from the force of applause. I looked over to see that the majority of them were coming from Sorra and Kyle. I put the hat back onto the stool and sprinted over to where the twins sat with my eyes only on their grinning faces. I noticed my plain black robes now had a Ravenclaw crest stitched to them, like my other new housemates, along with a few other small details.

"I didn't think we'd all get in Ravenclaw, this is brilliant!" Kyle was doing another one of his goofy grins while beating his fingers on the table. I saw a few of the older Ravenclaws look over disapprovingly. Kyle apparently didn't see them, that or he just didn't care.

"You know Kyle, one of these days someone's going to hex you in your sleep." He smirked at his sister, but before he could make a retort back a man with a long, white beard and half-moon spectacles placed on a haphazardly crooked nose stood up at the head table and all talking ceased. The professors here seemed particularly good at this little trick.

"That's the Headmaster!" Sorra hissed.

"Now that we are all situated in both our new and old homes, I have a few words. For those of you who do not know me, I am Albus Dumbledore, and welcome to Hogwarts!" He smiled as the students cheered.

"Now, it's time for the announcements. All students are reminded that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for anyone not wanting to die an extremely unpleasant death, there may be no magic in the corridors either, as some need to be reminded" His sharp blue eyes twinkled while looking down his half-moon glasses, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "First years should keep this in mind… along with a few of our older residents as well." Some of the students gave guilty smiles and small chuckles. I spotted the other man from the Leaky Cauldron, the black-haired one, snigger and grin at Professor Lupin at the High table.

"Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, would like to remind you to look at the list of banned items for this year, and that no one may bring in of any products from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." There were many disappointed looks and groans at this announcement. "And on that note, let us enjoy the feast! Cheers for yet another wonderful year at Hogwarts!"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, foods of all kinds appeared on the table. Steaks, loaded baked potatoes, ribs, Shepherd's pie, stringed green peas, yams, cakes, and others I couldn't even name. I had never seen so much food in my life! We never really had the money needed to eat out, and I'd only had steak once before in my life. That was when I was eight, the last and one of the few times Aunt Lucy came to visit before today when she took us out to eat at a fancy England steak house for Boxing day. Most of the time we just had microwave dinners, prepackaged meals, sometimes cereal, so this, this was amazing! Kyle was already shoving steak into his mouth and Sorra was still trying to decide what to put on her plate.

"Eva, aren't you going to eat?" Sorra was looking at me with a concerned expression.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just... thinking about things." I started putting a bit of everything on my plate, but I could tell by the look she was giving me that she was going to have a long talk with me later. I looked up at the head table and saw Professor Lupin staring down at me. A little bit too quickly, I looked back down at my food. I still couldn't believe I said all that to one of my professors! Well that's going to make class a bit complicated.

Once everyone finished eating what they could all the food disappeared, leaving the golden platters spotless, and the Headmaster stood up once again.

"Now that we are all finished with that delicious meal, it is time for bed! Prefects, please guide your first years to the house dormitories!" The seventh year house prefects got up and started leading us out of the Great Hall and along the corridors. We had to change routes twice due to the ever-switching staircases. Trick steps, dead ends, and the constant change in routes made it hard to believe anyone could find their way around here. Let alone be able to get to classes on time. The first time we had to change was because Kyle decided to run ahead causing him to nearly fall off the staircase, since they were changing the precise moment he decided to try and step over. The prefect pulled him back just in time, and now Kyle had decided it might be wise if he stayed at the back with Sorra and I.

We were led up a tight, elegant spiral staircase, to a wooden door with a bronze eagle knocker. The knocker's beak opened, and it spoke.

"What came first, the phoenix or the flame?"

"A circle has no beginning." The one who answered was Ravenclaw prefect Amanda Lax. She was apparently considered the smartest girl in Ravenclaw, if not the whole school, and never made less than top marks on anything. She was also extremely pretty according to Kyle, who didn't seem the least bit worried by the age difference. Her blond shoulder length hair was kept in tight curls and her sharp green eyes didn't miss a single thing around her.

Unfortunately, not only did she have the mind of a raven and eyes of a hawk, she also had extremely good ears, and Kyle now had the threat of some extremely painful sounding hexes hanging over his head. Amanda smirked as she twirled her wand between her fingers. The message was clear—don't mess with Ravenclaw prefects. The male seventh year prefect, Jon Vance, couldn't be there at the moment, and no one had seemed that concerned in mentioning why.

She had previously explained that, unlike the other houses that just needed a password, Ravenclaw was unique as it used riddles to guard the entry. Most wizards and witches didn't seem to have much common sense. Rowena Ravenclaw, who was one of the four founders, seemed to realize this and decided her clever riddles were safer than some of the more easily predictable passwords that the other houses used. If you couldn't figure out the riddle then you had to wait for someone who could. The problem was that if someone from the other houses was clever enough then they could enter the common room as well.

That brought up a particularly humorous story of when two Slytherin fourth year boys broke into the tower after hearing about a particularly easy riddle of the day and decided to try it out for themselves. These two had been a hat's toss away from being Ravenclaws themselves, and got into the tower easily. Unfortunately, the two accessed the entrance only to run into two Ravenclaw prefects, who promptly sent them running out with hexes flying after and hypothetical tails tucked in-between their legs. It took two whole days for the school nurse, Madam Pomfrey, to get all the counter curses sorted out, and both boys had to sit detention with their head till Christmas. This was when Amanda was a first year. Never, ever, mess with Ravenclaw prefects.

We walked through the door and into our new home. The room was airy, wide, and circular in shape. The windows were graceful and arched and hung on the walls were blue and bronze silks. The midnight blue domed ceiling was covered in stars and the carpet was midnight blue as well. Elegant looking tables, chairs, sofas, and bookcases were arranged around the room, and a marble white statue—of who I guessed must be Rowena Ravenclaw—sat between two doorways. Most of the older students had already arrived and were strewn across the area reading, talking, or just relaxing around the bright roaring fire after overstuffing themselves at the nights feast.

"The Ravenclaw common room is one of the airiest rooms at Hogwarts. During the day, the windows give an excellent view of the school grounds, including the Black Lake, Forbidden Forest, Quidditch pitch, Herbology gardens, and the surrounding mountainsides. That statue between the dormitory entrance—girls on the left, boys on the right—is of Rowena Ravenclaw. For early risers breakfast starts as early as 6:00 but remember that it ends at 8:45! Now, curfew is in thirty minutes, so unpack and get to bed!" With those last few announcements, Amanda headed up to the girl dormitories.

"Isn't she a wonderful tour guide?" Kyle was sending puppy looks to the last place the seventh year prefect was standing. Sorra smirked.

"Come on, lover boy, let's go. You're six years behind her and way out of your league. I'm sure you can gawk in her presence some other time." We both said goodbye to Kyle and headed up to our dorms.

When we entered the first year girls' dorm, our other three roommates were already there, fast asleep. None of them seemed to have bothered to change out of their day clothes. The room had five four-poster beds covered in blue silk eiderdowns, with a trunk at the foot of each of them for our belongings. Beside each bed was a small bookshelf that also served as a nightstand. Set upon it was a pitcher of water and several glasses. The Ravenclaw Eagle insignia was sewn in bronze thread on midnight blue tapestries all around the room and even on the bed curtains. In the quiet of the room you could hear the wind whistling around the tower. The ceiling in here was also painted with stars. It was perfect. I could really get used to this place.

"So, how do you like the magical world so far, Eva?"

I shrugged. All I really wanted to think about at the moment was how I was going to unpack and sleep.

Sorra bent down and started unpacking her own things. "You really should be more social. A nod or a shrug isn't the answer to everything you know, words can help too. I will get you to talk one of these days; I shall make it my personal mission." I watched as my new roommate finished setting up, only to plop down on her bed, like the rest of the girls, without bothering to change or even get under the covers. With a content sigh, Sorra closed her eyes.

I yawned. "I think you and Kyle do enough talking for all of us. The only thing I want to do right now is...is... Awahh... sleep..." Without opening her eyes, Sorra smiled and let out a yawn as well.

"I'll second that motion; I think I ate too much shepherd's pie at the feast. Just think, tomorrow is our only free day before classes. Oh, and Eva?" She reopened one eye and pointed at something on my bed. "Don't sit on your cat."

Oops, I had nearly sat on Midnight, curled up fast asleep on my bed. I smiled my thanks and finished unpacking. I decided to complete the trend and not to change into my pajamas. I said goodnight, curled up next to my cat, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.

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**AN: This has all been edited, I have some serious OCD when it comes to my writing, I really am diagnosed with that but it only seems to really come out with my writing...eh, oh well. The story has only just begun.**

**Now a bit of information!**

**Honestly it really bugs me that everyone seems to go for Gryffs and Slytherins but always forgets the Puffs and Ravens, thus (plus I've always liked it and Midnight blue is my favorite color) Ravenclaws. I also don't like the whole all Gryffindors are brave, all Hufflepuffs are shy, all Slytherins are evil, and all Ravenclaws are anti-social nerds. Think of Hermione, Snape, Peter Pettigrew. Hermione thought like a Ravenclaw, Snape died like a Gryffindor, Peter honestly didn't seem to go in any house but if I had to say it should have been Slytherin (little rat...). Thus the different personality types. Okay, next chapter will get interesting so read on! The chapter after is better though. Okay, let's just say they build alright? You get the point though...**


	4. Sibling Rivelry

_Ch. 4 Sibling Rivalry!_

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**_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter already!_**

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**AN: Remember to Review, I cant write if you don't like. If you want a story you need to let me know! I have another story going. "Payback...Slytherin Style" So check it out some time! On to the story, get ready for a flashback towards the end! Man I love writing those things!**

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"Merlin, Eva, will you bloody wake up already? Come on, lazy bum, we're missing breakfast!" _Why must she be so loud?_

"Eva, if you don't get out of that bed right now, I'm going to rip you right off, covers and all! If you think I'm bluffing then just ask Kyle!" I just buried my head further under my pillow.

"Sorra, I'm tired…go 'way."

"Fine then, have it your way. One...Two...THREE!" Sure enough, Sorra dragged me off my warm bed, and I landed with a big thump on the cold, hard floor.

"Ahh! Really, Sorra?" She smirked and held out her hand to help me up.

"I did say I'd do it." Her smile faltered as she looked at something behind me and I craned my neck around to see what it was.

"Um...it looks like Midnight isn't too happy about being pulled off your bed." It seemed like I wasn't the only one who got a rude awakening this morning, Midnight was standing right behind us, hissing her head off, with both ears lying flat as they could. I would have thought it was a little bit funny for such a little cat if not for the extremely sharp claws and teeth.

Lucky for us, it seemed like Midnight thought it would be a better idea to finish her nap than waste any more time on a couple of eleven year old girls with some extremely bad bed head, but not before a final glare to get the point across. I watched as her green cat eyes narrowed to the slightest slits and her tail slowly flicked back and forth. With one last hiss at the two of us she jumped back on the bed and curled up on my blue feather pillow.

Sorra released a pent-up breath. "Well, that was scary. I thought your cat was about to use us as her new scratching posts."

We didn't bother wasting any time washing up, and risk missing breakfast. We just stayed in the clothes we slept in and bolted down the staircase into the common room where Kyle was waiting for us on an overstuffed loveseat.

"Finally! I thought you two were never coming down! Girls and their primping." He shook his head and tsked.

"Very witty, Kyle," Sorra laughed in a bored, mocking way. "Actually, I was busy dragging our new friend here out of bed. I swear she sleeps like a rock!"

I glared at both of them irritably. "I may not have told you this before, but I'm not that much of a morning person and would greatly appreciate it if you two would quit talking like I'm not in the room." Kyle looked at me in admiration.

"You know, I think that's the most I've heard her utter yet, Sorra, what do you think?" Kyle really didn't know how to take a hint_. How will I even survive first year with these two?_

After a few wrong turns and several helpful portraits later, we finally made it to the Great Hall. Most people had already finished their breakfast, but the other late risers like us could still be seen scattered across all four of the house tables. We sat down at Ravenclaw and promptly started stuffing our faces.

"So, tomorrow is Monday, meaning this is our one free day before starting classes! What should we do?" Kyle asked around a mouthful of eggs.

I thought for a moment. "We could explore the castle, find out where everything is. I mean, it would probably be bad if we got lost on the first day." Kyle sat down his fork and looked over at me.

"Eva, you should speak up more often. This would be a perfect time to look around! I've heard Hogwarts has tons of secret passageways—hundreds, even! Mum said no one knows them all, not even Dumbledore himself!" Sorra frowned disapprovingly at her brother.

"I don't think that's exactly what Eva had in mind, Kyle. We should be spending our time finding our classes, reading up on things we might be learning, getting all our stuff together. After that we could spend the rest of the day however we want to." Kyle took another bite of eggs and rolled his eyes, something the two of them seemed to be particularly fond of doing to each other.

"Why must you always be such a killjoy?" She frowned some more, narrowing her eyes. This was probably not the wisest choice of words that he could have chosen.

"For the same reasons that you're such a pain in the back end."

"Merlin Sorra, I'm eleven!" She made an overly shocked face.

"Really, I had no idea, Kyle! So am I! What a coincidence!" He shook his head and took another bite of egg.

"Girls are such idiots." She looked at him, seeming about ready to burst.

"Yeah, well apparently so are guys!" Sorra was not looking happy.

I looked back and forth between the two. Did I mention I was not a morning person? "Both of you! Why are you arguing?" I had never seen anyone start a fight so fast, or over something that stupid. The entire Great Hall was staring at us by this point and it was only the first day. What had I gotten myself in with these two?

"I swear you two are like a bloody tennis match." They both looked at me like I had just gone off the deep end.

Kyle stared at me in confusion. "What, in the name of Merlin, is a tennis match?"

Sorra shrugged. "I think it's a muggle sport." Well, at least they aren't arguing anymore.

Turns out I had spoken too soon. Kyle rolled his eyes, "No, really, Sorra? We've never heard of it, of course it's a muggle sport!" She turned back at him slowly, eye twitching in annoyance.

"Well, you asked what it was!" I inwardly groaned, barely resisting the urge to slap my forehead. Kyle ignored her and turned back to me.

"Sooo, what is it?"

"Uh, well, you have two rackets and a ball. Two players play and there is a net in-between them. The players hit the ball back and forth over the net and if the other player doesn't hit it before the ball bounces the second time he or she gets a point and the first to fifteen points wins. The saying like a tennis match means you keep going back and forth between each other like a ball goes back and forth between the two players in the match." Kyle rolled his eyes and started drumming on the table with his fingers, something I've noticed he does a lot when bored or thinking.

"That sounds dumb. Quidditch is the best sport there is, far better than any muggle sport like that." He happily shoveled more eggs into his mouth and started up a conversation with a boy next to him about the upcoming Quidditch season.

Sorra let out a frustrated growl. "Why are all boys so obsessed with sports? You really should have been put in Gryffindor if you can't think about anything more important than that, you big muscle head!"

Kyle stopped talking and turned towards his sister. "Did you just call me dumb?" He turned to me. "Did she just call me bloody dumb?"

I stayed silent. Sometimes silence is an excellent thing.

Sorra huffed, "I didn't say that. You just implied it. Though if you can't hear anything I say without jumping to a bunch of conclusions maybe you are!"

Kyle growled back and narrowed his eyes. "She just called me dumb. Fine, Eva, take her side. Don't say anything. I hope you two have a very nice time. Meanwhile I am going to have something called fun! Bloody sister..."

He snatched his bag up from under his seat and stormed out of the Great Hall. The noise level rose again as they realized the show was over to the general morning chatter of people eating.

"Dumb brother, probably going to get himself lost somewhere, like I even care." I watched as Sorra pounded her eggs into mush on her plate.

"Do you two usually fight like that?" She shook her head irritably.

"Actually, no, we never do. We always get along at home; we haven't had a serious fight in a forever. The most we ever do is tease and joke with each other. I guess it's the stress, of starting classes, and being away from home." Sorra set her fork down and sighed." Neither of us have been anywhere without our mum and dad before. Yesterday it was kind of an adventure, you know? I guess now it's finally starting to sink in how long it will be before we can go home again." She put her head in her hands and absentmindedly rubbed at her eyes. "I'm not hungry anymore. Dumb brother." She put her fork down and pushed her plate away.

I nodded and put my own fork down. "Should we go after him? He'll probably get lost..." She looked at the door thoughtfully.

"Well, we should. I just don't feel like seeing him right now... unless it involves hexing him. I'm going back to take a shower in the common room. You okay on your own?"

I nodded again as she picked up her bag and exited the Hall. I focused back on my own plate where I had a nice waffle, egg, and bacon sandwich going.

I had hoped that making friends with Kyle and Sorra would take away some of the stress with my parents, and that the wonder and excitement of being at Hogwarts would take some of the edge away. But after the show the two had put on just now, I highly doubted that. Hopefully today was a random, rare occurrence, and they'd be fine come classes tomorrow, and we'd enjoy them together. But something told me it might not happen as soon as that.

* * *

**Kyle's POV**

_Dumb girls, dumb sister, dumb, dumb, dumb! Why does she have to nag at everything I do or say? Can't she ever just go along with something? Uh, Mom and dad would know what to do. Who am I kidding; first day and already I'm messing up things. But what did she think we would do, wait to look around till the weekend? By then homework would be practically conjuring out our ears! Merlin, I really need some fresh air._ I stopped and looked around me. All I saw was the same gray walls on every side, torches casting shadows across the stone, everything looked identical. How am I supposed to get outside when I'm stuck at who knows where?

"Are you lost?" _What the...oh._

I turned around. Standing in front of me was a small mousy looking girl with golden blond hair and light gray eyes.

_Now, how did she manage to walk up without me noticing? Mum's right; I really need to start paying better attention to my surroundings._

I studied her, trying to place where I had met her before. Then I got it. "Hey, you're one of the first year Hufflepuffs right, from the sorting?" Now I remembered. She was that blond girl sitting in the boat beside us on the first night. She smiled and tilted her head to the side, blond curls bouncing, like she was considering something.

"Well, since I am a girl and I was at the sorting, yes. My name is Ria, Ria Asdrea. You are?" _Wow, she's pretty._

"Um, K-Kyle, I'm Kyle Neal…" I mentally slapped myself. _I am such an idiot, it's just a girl. What am I stuttering about?_

"So, are you lost?" She tilted her head again.

"Er, yeah, I was hoping to get some fresh air, but I can't remember how to..." I frowned a bit, realizing something. "Wait a second; you're a first year too, so how do you know the way around?" She just smiled and made a follow me gesture.

So I did just that, I followed. You know, forget what I said earlier, not all girls are so stupid.

After about five minutes of walking through the halls we made it outside. Instead of stopping and saying goodbye to me like I had expected, she just kept walking until she stood directly underneath an old oak tree by the lake and motioned for me to come over. She sat down in the cool shade and walked over and sat next to her.

"I heard the fight between you and your friends earlier. Sounds like you three need a good counselor." She gave me a knowing smile and I felt my face go hot. Pretty sure I was blushing; I tried to keep my eyes on the ground and hoped she wouldn't notice.

"So, you heard all that?" She nodded, smiling. I tried to distract myself and picked halfheartedly at the bright green grass, rolling it slowly back and forth between my fingers.

"It was nothing really, just me and my sister getting into a little argument. Stress, that's all." I glanced up to see her staring at me then looked quickly back down before my face became any redder than it was already.

"Kyle, the entire great hall heard it. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you having to ask for directions if you don't want me to. Is this your first time away from home?" I nodded and stood up faster than I probably should have, feeling slightly dizzy. It was really hot out here...

"I'm really sorry, Ria, but I kind of need to be getting back, I have to apologize to my sister. Thanks for getting me out here, but I think I can manage getting back on my own." It might have been my imagination, but it seemed like she blushed a bit as well.

"Glad I could help," she said softly.

As I was about to walk away she quickly grabbed my arm before looking down at her feet and letting go embarrassedly. This time I was sure she had blushed.

"Maybe—maybe we could talk again sometime. I mean, I don't really know that many people here."

She shuffled her feet. "You see, I'm the first one in my family to go to Hogwarts, my older brother and sister were home schooled with my dad but I decided to go here, and I don't really have that many friends just yet." I just stood there, like the total complete idiot I was. She smiled nervously. "I might want to head on back as well. I guess I'll see you around sometime. Bye Kyle."

I stood stupidly as she ran back up to the school, curls bouncing up and down with every step. Merlin I was stupid.

_Why do girls have to always be so bloody complicated?_

* * *

**Later that day **

**Kyle POV (again)**

"Sorra! Sorra, will you just talk to me? Please?" It was two hours until curfew and we were all sitting in the common room. Kyle had been trailing Sorra and me all day, begging her to talk to him. Sorra was stubborn, but Kyle was just as stubborn as she was. Twins, in all honesty, I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take.

"Sorra please, ever since I found you guys at lunch you haven't said a single word to me. What do you want me to do, stand on the table in the middle of the bloody common room and scream that I'm wrong? Really, Sorra, I was wrong, you were right, I admit it—will you just bloody look at me and stop staring at your textbook!" I looked over at Sorra, who was staring intently at her upside down DADA textbook.

"Eva, will you please tell that pest to go jump in the lake before I hex him into the infirmary?"

"What—"

Sorra cut him off without a blink. "He is distracting me from my reading."

Kyle suddenly slapped the book out of her hands, causing several people sitting around us to jump. "It was upside down, genius," he hissed.

Sorra's eyes flashed. She leaped to her feet and whipped out her wand. I was surprised; I hadn't thought that she'd really follow through on her threat. I didn't even know she had her wand on her, what with classes not being till tomorrow and all. From Kyle's rapidly widening eyes I guessed that he wasn't expecting it either. Sorra was turning out to be much more unpredictable than either of us had thought, and Kyle was her twin. This was getting out of hand faster than I was entirely comfortable with.

"Kyle. Pick. It. Up." Sorra's teeth were clenched together and Kyle looked like he was about to faint right there. Regardless, he wasn't backing down.

"Sorra, you weren't even reading it! It was upside down, and you hadn't flipped a page in twenty minutes!" He picked the book up, but held onto it stubbornly. "Hex me all you want Sorra, but I'm not giving it back." She started advancing on him.

"Give me my book, you bloody git!" Kyle looked from the book to his vary angry sister. He quickly tried to back away but found himself caught against an arm chair.

She raised her wand, and Kyle winced, bracing himself.

"ACCIO BOOK!" The book flew out of Kyle's grasp and into the hands of an older student whom I didn't recognize. I sent a big thank you to whatever entity happened to be watching at the moment.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on here? I'm Jone Vance, the seventh year Ravenclaw prefect, and I want to know why you two are disrupting the common room." I looked at his robes and groaned to myself, spotting his prefect badge. The guy had curly brown hair and wire rimmed glasses. At a few heads higher and with six more years of experience at magic, both Kyle and Sorra seemed to understand just how outmatched they were at this point in time.

Sorra lowered her wand and looked down at the floor. "Nothing, it was just a disagreement."

He looked at the two, a warning written clearly across his face. "Well then, unless you two want to finish said disagreement in detention later, I suggest you get over it and stop disrupting the common room. I will be warning the other house prefects and if any of us see you two fighting it is automatic detention with our very own head of house, Professor Flitwick." He handed Sorra back her book and headed up to the boys dorms. I turned to Sorra, wanting to talk to her, but she was running up to our own dorm room. I couldn't be sure, but it seemed like she was crying.

"I messed it up again, didn't I?" Kyle sighed irritably and I only nodded at him. "Sorra is right, I am a bloody git. Go on; check up on her, she's probably just sulking in the shower or something. I'm going up to bed." I said a quick goodbye to him, before following Sorra's footsteps upstairs.

As I walked into the dorm room I quickly noticed two things. One: Sorra was not in the shower, seeing as her bed curtains were closed tightly and quiet sobbing could be heard behind them. Two: our roommates, who I had yet to be properly introduced to, were wide awake, and all three of them were looking directly at me.

"Oh, hi...I don't suppose any of you got to talk to her?" All three girls shook their heads. I didn't think so.

"I'm Avery," said one girl, with long strawberry blonde hair and pale grey eyes. "Avery Frost."

"Eva Winters," I said, sitting on my own bed.

A girl with shoulder length red hair with bright green eyes yawned. "And I'm Heather Rossi."

The last girl rolled her eyes, smiling, "I'm Jae Hoy." She had jet black hair and blue eyes.

"Like I said, I'm Eva Winters, and the girl behind the curtain is Sorra Neal. She kinda got in an argument but I'm not sure she won't hex me if I told you what it was about. She's kind of upset about it." All three smiled apologetically from their separate places. Well two apologetically and one just smiled.

I flopped onto my stomach. "Would any of you happen to know where the classes are?"

Heather snorted. "What, you didn't look? That's what the first day was for, you know."

Jae shot Heather a look that quite clearly said shut up.

"Don't be mean, Rossi." She gave me another bright smile. "Ya, we know where they are. You two could follow us around; first year Ravenclaws all have our classes together." She pulled out a timetable and studied it. Her eyes widened. "Oh, well that's just brilliant."

"What? Is something wrong?"  
She nodded and tossed the parchment to Avery. "Look, first class of the day."

Avery groaned and passed it to Heather, who scoffed and threw it at me.

I read it, puzzled. "So, it's History of Magic, what's the problem with that?" All three girls raised their eyebrows in disbelief.

"What's the problem? You really don't know? History of Magic is the most boring class in the entire universe! Binns teaches it, the only professor at Hogwarts that's a ghost, and most people say he doesn't even realize he's dead!" Jae moaned.

Avery nodded. "The class is a study of magical history," she said, noticing my look of confusion. "It probably would be interesting if it was anyone else teaching it. History of Magic is mandatory from the first year to fifth year, with no exceptions, and is pretty much nothing but remembering dates, names and events while he floats there droning on and on the entire class."

"Five years of boring Binns!" Jae fell back on her bad over-dramatically. "And it's first thing in the morning too!" Heather rolled her eyes at Jae and inspected her nails.

Avery continued. "Some of the Ravenclaws were talking about classes last night. Every one of them agreed that even most Ravenclaws can't focus in his class. Oh, and look, it just got worse...we have it with Slytherin."  
Jae looked over at the paper I was holding with disgust.

Out of nowhere Heather threw a pillow at her. While they began an argument I wondered just how bad the Slytherins really were. Everyone here seemed to downright hate them.

"Um, how bad are Slytherins, really? I've heard they aren't the cheeriest bunch but they can't be all bad. I'm sure not all of them are evil little demon kids out to get us." They just looked at me blankly. "I'm Muggle-born," Luckily Avery spoke up and broke the silence before things got too awkward for me.

"Maybe not all of them are, but there's always those few who seem to think they're above everyone else, and sometimes they're just plain mean. They seem bent on causing all other houses trouble and those are the Slytherins we are worried about."

Jae snorted. "Not to mention what they could get away with in that bloody class. My mom said the professor is so caught up in the stupid lectures he doesn't notice what happens right in front of him. She told me that one time, two kids had a duel in the back of the room and Binns didn't even notice it until fifteen minutes in. Think of what they could do with that. We would be left wide open! There is a very good reason their house is the one for cunning, and they use every chance they get to show it. Plus the added fact that most of them are a bunch of pureblooded gits."

"Says the mother-git herself," Heather smirked as Jae got up and started walking over in her direction, but Avery got up right after and pulled her away before she could manage to do anything too rash.

I smiled at the three. This was going to be a interesting seven years. "Well if that's the worst class we have, then the day can only get better, right? Um, what else is there?" Avery grabbed the schedule from me scanned the parchment.

"Okay first, I never said it was the worse class we had. I said it was the most boring. Well, after that we have Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall and Hufflepuff, then we have lunch. After that is Charms with —ugh, Slytherin again, lucky that's the class with Flitwick, everyone likes him...plus he's our head of house so there is no way they would dare try anything with him around, then the last class of the day is Flying, with Professor Black and Gryffindor."

Wait. "I'm sorry but did you say flying?"

Heather rolled her eyes. "Yes, flying. Why, are you scared?"

"Okay, that's it," Jae snapped, tearing her arm out of Avery's grasp and lunging at heather with her pillow.  
Avery tried her hardest to tear her off, but Jae wasn't relenting. Heather yelled out, trying to grab her own pillow in defense, but Jae kicked it away.

I know it's a tad bit mean to think this way, but to be completely honest with myself I was sort of enjoyed seeing Jae beat up Heather with that pillow. I couldn't help remembering some other kids who acted a bit like Heather from back home.

Eventually Avery gave up on restraining Jae, sighed, and ran back to her bed for her own pillow. She pushed Jae off Heathers bed and passed quickly passed to Redheaded girl. And so began an all-out pillow war.

Jae chuckled at me, grinning. "Well, what are you waiting for? Join in the fun, Eva!" She then ducked a deadly swipe by Heather, aimed at her head. "Oh it is so on! You're gonna get it now Rossi!"

I laughed as Avery joined Jae in the fight against Heather and then stared quizzically towards Sorra's bed. She can't be asleep...

I tiptoed over and ripped open her curtains. She was curled up on her bed, eyes wide open.

"We're having a pillow fight...join us?"

She wiped her eyes and shook her head. "No thanks,"

"Aw, come on, Sorra...we'll be really loud, there's no way you can sleep! If they are dragging me into this I'm dragging you into it as well. You're the one who said I needed to be more social."

"No, Eva, I don't want—"

She was cut off when a section of curtains on the opposite side were abruptly ripped open. Jae stood, a maniacal grin on her face.

"Come out and play, lovelies!" She whacked Sorra in the side, causing her to let out a surprised yelp before sending an accusatory glare at Jae, pillow still in hand.

Jae shrugged, "Just pretend it's your brother's head, trust me, it's great therapy!"

A mischievous smile slowly spread across Sorra's face. "Well...if that's the case..." I laughed and turned away a moment to where Avery had tripped in an attempt to back away from Heather. Big mistake.

I cried out as a pillow made contact, hard, with my shoulder. I turned and glared at Sorra, who smiled guiltily. "You told me I should join in and be social."

"It's on, Sorra!"

It was midnight before we ended the pillow war, completely out of breath, as some older girls came by and suggested that we should, not too nicely may I add, shut up and get to bed so they could go to sleep. Sorra looked much happier by then, which, as Avery whispered to me later as we got ready for bed, was what the entire goal had been in the first place.

**~O-o-O-o-O-o-O~**

_"Is this some kind of a joke? My daughter is no witch!" My mum, dad, and I were seated at the kitchen table. About an hour before this, an elderly, eccentrically dressed man introducing himself as Albus Dumbledore arrived at our house. He had a flowing white beard that reached his knees and wore strange blue robes and half-moon spectacles. There was an unmistakable air of authority surrounding him, though his blue eyes twinkled brightly with humor. He had given us a letter, an acceptance letter, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_The last hour we had sat in silence as he explained what the school was for, things about the magical world, what wizards and witches really are. Then he told us I was a witch. Now he was done talking, and I was even more confused than before, was this was real or was it a joke? I still had no idea what was going on with this, but it seemed whatever it was, my dad didn't like it at all._

_"Dad, what is he talking about?" He stared at me, and what I saw there wasn't what I usually did. His eyes were colder, harsh. This wasn't my dad at all._

_"Eva, go to your room, now."_

_"But, Dad…"_

_My mother and I jumped in our seats as he stood abruptly. He stomped over and roughly dragged me from my chair. I heard my mother gasp as he held me against the wall. I struggled against his grip, trying to get away._

_"Don't fight me, Eva," Who is this man?_

_Albus Dumbledore stood and cleared his throat. "There is no need for that, Mr. Winters. If you would kindly let your daughter go, I will do my best to try and answer all your questions as best as my abilities will allow."_

_My father slowly released me, but he didn't move away. I stood, motionless, crying in shock while rubbing the pain in my wrist. Dumbledore smiled kindly at me, but when he looked back at my father, there was no trace of the twinkling humor I had seen previously. They seemed almost dangerous, hard, threatening._

_Finally, my father turned, and their eyes meet in a silent staring match, neither wanting to back in and be first and look away from the others gaze._

_"I said go to your room, this does not concern you." I stayed where I was, pressed against the wall. "EVA, GO!"_

_My mother whimpered. This was not my father; this was not the man I had always known. This was not the one who would tell me stories at night, or talk to me after a bad day at school. I didn't know who he was anymore. Whoever he was he may look and sound like my father, but he was not him._

_"Jon, you're scaring her! Please calm down..." My mum was crying. I had never seen her cry before. She was always so strong and had always seemed to be at her brightest when around my father. Now he was having the exact opposite effect. Now, this strange man comes to our house and everything around me is falling to pieces._

_"Lora, just stay out of this!" I bolted upstairs as fast as I could, but I didn't go into my room. I sat there, silently hovering at the top of the old wooden stair case, just out of sight from the grownups down below. I had to know what was going on. What was so important to cause this?_

_"Lora, leave. I want a private word with him." I peered around the banister and watched the old man stand up. My father's back was to me, facing Dumbledore._

_"She has no need to go anywhere, and neither did your daughter. I am sorry this was such a shock but you cannot just go and change who she is. Let me ask you this: has she ever done anything abnormal when she was scared or troubled? Ever shown anything out of the ordinary?" I watched as my father's hands clenched into fists at his side. For the slightest second, I could have sworn that Dumbledore smiled and looked right at me._

_"My daughter is not a...a freak. There is nothing more I want to know about this, because she is not one of you. She is my daughter, she is human!" Dumbledore inclined his head thoughtfully._

_"Yes...but are also human, just of a different sort." My father walked up until he stood; face inches from Dumbledore's crooked nose._

_"Get. Out. Of. My. House." I watched as the man gave my father one last, long look. He handed my mother the letter, tipped his pointed hat, and turned on the spot, where he vanished with a soft pop._

_Then came the screaming._

_My father wanted the letter from my mother. No matter what he screamed, what he threatened, give wouldn't give it to him. She knew I was special. Mum would support me while I went to Hogwarts, but my father would not. I was a freak._

_I ran to my room and curled up in the corner into a fetal position, head tucked down and tears falling down my face. So that's why those things kept happening to me. Those kids at school were right. Dad was right. I really am a freak... But why, why is he so angry? What happened to him? What am I?_

**~O-o-O-o-O~**

I jerked awake, heart beating. For a moment I thought I was back in my house, curled on my bed as he yelled downstairs. Then I remembered—I was at Hogwarts. I was with my friends.

Midnight was back on my bed after vanishing during the pillow fight. I looked around the room to see the other girls still asleep in bed. It was still night.

I took a deep breath. _It was just a dream... It was just a dream..._

**AN: Okay, what did you think of the new girl? Do you think there might be more to her then meets the eye? Do you like how I'm making you guess yourself? Ya, I just love messing with people...by the way, this has been edited.**

**The reason Dumbledore was there is because muggles don't receive owls, so someone from the school has to deliver it themselves. Oh them muggles... The reason it was old Dumbles…. Well you'll find that one out later!**


	5. New enemy, first day

_Ch. 5 New Enemy, First Day_

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_Disclaimer: Geez, haven't we established by now I don't own this?_

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**AN: Okay, first things first! Hi.**

**Okay now seriously, thanks to you few rare, wonderful people reviewing, favoring, and following, it really does make my day. You are the ones that make me dance around the room when I check my email! I'm sorry it's taking so long and I really am trying though.**

**So for those of you who are not following but want to keep up with this story, I suggest you follow! **

**On to the story! Remember to review and let me know what I can make better!**

**Also take a poll on where Eva should go for Christmas! And check out my other story, "Payback...Slytherin style"!**

* * *

The next morning I woke later then I should have and realized my roommates were already gone. I saw a note on my nightstand.

**_Couldn't wake you, down at breakfast, twit waiting in common room._**

**_-Sorra_**

I smiled at the note, laughing at Sorra's wording.

As I walked into the common room after washing up the first thing I noticed was that Kyle sitting on one of the couches surrounding the roaring fireplace.

He sent a curious look at me, probably noting my rushed attempt at getting rid of my bed head. "What happened to you? Sorra came down and left ten minutes ago, your other roommates just walked out."

"I didn't sleep well." He gave me a skeptical look. "Let's just eat." Kyle shrugged nonchalantly and grabbed his stuff for classes.

"Whatever you say, Eva."

We walked into the Great Hall just as the morning post was coming in. Owls of various species, colors, and sizes were flying everywhere, bringing packages, letters, and newspapers to students and teachers alike. Of course, having a non-magic family there was nothing for me to get.

The moment we sat down a large brown barn owl flew over from where Sorra was still avoiding Kyle a few sets down and touched down in front of us, right in Kyle's plate. I watched with interest as he pulled out a small bronze Knut and placed it in a little pouch tied to the owl's left leg before taking a newspaper from its beak. The moment it was free the owl gave us a soft hoot, nipped at Kyle's finger, and flew out with the other owls.

My new roommates were sitting a little ways down from Kyle and I. Avery gave me a bright smile and a small wave while Jae grinned, waving her buttered toast around in the air, and Heather gave no acknowledgment at all. Neither, in fact, did Sorra, who was still avoiding anything within two feet of her twin like a deadly disease. Kyle didn't seem too worried about this anymore though.

"Mum sent me an issue of the Daily Prophet...and a letter," he added, as an small yellow envelope fell out of the folded newspaper. He took the letter, and passed the paper over to me. "Here, take a look at Wizarding newspaper. I don't really read it that much, the only things I really like in it are the games and the crossword. I guess it got a little bit better four years ago after Kingsley Shacklebolt became the new minister of magic but it's still mostly rubbish." I looked at the cover and then put it in my bag to read later, from what I heard there would be more than enough time once our first class started.

Jae threw a grape at me. "Hey, Eva, you still need that help getting to class?"

Avery rolled her eyes and gathered all their stuff, passing it to Jae and Heather. I glanced around. All the other students were doing last minute checks of supplies and preparing to leave for classes and the high table was completely empty. Even Sorra had left. I guess she had found her own way to get to class.

"Yeah, thanks." I dragged Kyle to his feet. "This is Kyle. Kyle, this is Avery, Jae, and Heather, my roommates."

Kyle waved. "Nice to meet you girls." Avery tilted her head, looking puzzled at Kyle.

"You're Sorra's brother, right?"

"Er, yeah... You know, we really should get going. We wouldn't want to be late to first class of the year, and it looks like we're some of the last ones here." I held back a groan. _Nice, we're going to be late on our first day._ Heather looked up and smirked from where she had been examining her nails. How did that girl make it into Ravenclaw?

"Don't you worry your pretty little head princess. Old Professor Binns won't notice a thing. I guess teaching the same subject over and over again for so long will do that to a ghost. Well, what are you four looking at? We might as well start walking. I never said Flinch wouldn't do anything, or that pesky cat of his for that matter." She turned and started walking out. I looked over to my remaining roommates.

Kyle gave us a bewildered look. Jae smiled at him. "She's a joy, isn't she?"

Avery just shook her head and with Heather in the lead, we made our way to our first and most boring class, History of Magic.

**~O-o-O-o-O~**

"Bloody Peeves again!" It was Heather, who was ahead of us. I smiled, so she was the one that was hit by Peeves that first night.

While the four of us ran to see what happened I found that I couldn't help but silently smile at the thought. As we rounded one of the Hogwarts many stairwells the first thing to pop out at me was a pail little man facing us.

He was floating above Heather and pelting her with bits of chalk. The poltergeist wasn't all pale, pearly white like the other ghosts, but had pasty pale skin. He wore a bright orange raincoat, a bell-topped hat, and oversized shoes, like a clown.

"Naughty little firsties are out of their classys! Time for me to have some funnsys!" I heard Kyle sniffle a laugh beside me as Heather ducked to avoid a cackling Peeves, who spontaneously started dive-bombing her.

Heather glared at us. "Don't just stand there gawking like idiots, do something! Curse him, hex him, I don't care what but get that thing away from me!" I could tell the other three were enjoy this as much as I was and all four of us were reluctant to end it so soon. Even so, with great reluctance, Kyle pulled out his wand in an attempt to drive the troublesome protagonist away from Heather, who was now lying flat on the ground with both hands protectively placed over her head.

"LangLock!" Peeves hands flew to his mouth as he realized what had happened. He chucked one last piece of chalk, this time at Kyle, before flying off to bug people, hopefully, elsewhere.

Heather stood and dusted herself off.

"Look what that wretched little thing did to me! I have chalk marks all over my brand new custom made uniform!" She threw her arms up in the air for emphasis.

She glared at all of us. "You could have been a little quicker," she snapped at Kyle. He put his hands up in surrender.

"Oh, put a bloody stuff on it, Heather," Jae said. "It'll come out with a spell."

"If you hadn't taken your sweet little time to get going we could have avoided him, it's your fault!" Kyle stepped in front of Heather, fuming.

"Hey, you're the one who said it wouldn't matter! Don't you dare go blaming us for that! Peeves was probably waiting there the whole time, nothing we did would have changed anything. Besides, you were the one who decided on running ahead of everyone else!" I jumped slightly as Heather turned her venomous eyes on me.

"As for you, what do you have to say, Miss All-Perfect Winters? So innocent, perfect, ignorant, sweet- the moment I saw you I knew something was up. It's an act, we both know it. So, why don't you go ahead share your little secret with the class? You're hiding something, and I'm going to find out what it is. And it's not that you're scared of heights."

"Heather! Stop it now!" Avery had walked up behind her and now had her wand out, Jae and Kyle walked over on either side and did the same.

"What is it, looking for an early detention are we? Are you three really protecting this mud-blood?" I heard three collective gasps from my friends.

"You did not just call her that!" Kyle took a step closer as angry looking red sparks started shooting from the tip of his wand.

Heather smirked. "It's what she is, so why shouldn't I?"

"It's foul!" Heather laughed.

"Er, what exactly is a Mudblood?" I looked at Avery, confused.

Avery opened her mouth to answer, but Heather cut her off, a smug look spreading across her face.

"See, the little piece of filth is so ignorant she can't even understand an insult, maybe those death eaters had it right a few years back. All these muggle-borns are nothing but a waste of space and air. Though maybe they could have found a less obvious way to go about it. Both my parents come from well distinguished wizard families but here this little piece of filth comes in..."

Jae lunged at her, but Kyle got there first.

"SHUT UP!" Kyle started running towards her, his wand still clutched in his hand was completely forgotten as Heather brought out a black ivory wand of her own.

"PROTEGO!" Kyle flew back into the air as he hit an invisible shield that seemed to have been cast by Avery as she stepped in.

"Both of you stop it! What are you two thinking?" Heather lowered her wand, crossed her arms, and gave a Kyle an overconfident smile.

"Well, I guess there's a reason you lot weren't put in Gryffindor. Though Kyle, if you're going to flat out charge me when your wand was already in your hand I don't really see how you could have gotten Ravenclaw either. Not too bright if you ask me."

"Ya, well no one did ask you, I guess we all know why you weren't a Hufflepuff. Actually I was wondering how you got in Ravenclaw yourself!"

Jae raised her own wand. "What is up with you, Rossi?" Heather gave a bored yawn before looking down to study her perfectly manicured nails.

"My _problem_ is you four. To tell you the truth, I was almost put in Slytherin, wouldn't be that bad I suppose. Only you see, my whole family has been in there and I guess I just wanted a little change in pace. So, I was put here instead." She looked up, a look of disgust showing clearly on her face.

"I'm actually really starting to wish I was in Slytherin, at least then you four wouldn't be there. Oh well. By the way, I'll be requesting a room-change when we get back to Ravenclaw Tower; maybe I'll have better luck with my roommates this time around." She looked right into my eyes, my ice blue to her bright emerald green. The look she gave me sent chills down my spine.

"And Eva, I will find out what you're hiding and when I do, I'll make sure the entire school hears about it." Her smiled widened. "And I will enjoy every minute of it. See you losers. I have a class to go sleep in." With that she left. Heather was lucky Jae or Kyle didn't try and hex her when her back was turned. And yet another example of why beauty is only skin deep. I frowned. _Did I have a secret? Did I act like I did?_

"I hope Peeves starts throwing more than chalk at that girl. That ungrateful little prat." Kyle was rubbing the back of his head where he was pelted with his own piece of chalk. Jae finally put up her wand and smiled.

We all stared at her. "Jae, I know you're insane, but what could possibly be funny about this?" Avery had a point. I watched as Jae smile grew even wider.

"Well two things really. First, she's moving out. And second...Did you all see that giant chalk mark on her rear end!" At that we all started laughing. I actually felt tears coming to my eyes.

Avery was the first to calm down enough to speak.

"Wait, I need to save this memory. Okay, let's get to class before someone finds us. I'm sure if we weren't in a deserted stairway right now we would have been found out and put in detention. Jae, I hope to never forget this as long as I live. That was bloody brilliant!" Jae's smile suddenly vanished as she looked at something behind us.

"Uh-oh. Guys...don't look now, but is that Finch's cat?" The three of us turned around.

"Oh boy. Quick follow me, I know a short cut! Time for a game of follow the leader, meaning I'm the leader and if you three don't want detention you might want to follow me, as in right now!" Avery took off running and we shot off after her.

"I told you exploring the school would have been a good idea!" I shot Kyle a look silently telling him to shut up. "Right sorry, not the time."

We followed Avery as she ran the opposite direction Flinch's fast approaching footsteps until she finally came to a stop, chest heaving, in front of an old worn-out gray tapestry.

"Okay, behind this is a hole in the wall with stairs that led up to the fourth floor, right across from our class. Bad news is that Flinch knows about most every one of these passageways. So you three, in other words, no stopping to tie your shoelaces!"

One by one we vanished behind the tapestry. Jae was last in to make sure Filch and his devil cat didn't see us.  
We froze as shuffling footsteps approached. And then, Filch speaking to his cat.

"Okay last bit of helpful information, now we should probably run." We rushed up the stone steps until we reached the top, where I stopped just in time to keep from bowling over Kyle, who just decided to freeze in place right in front of me.

"Kyle, think you could give me some warning before you do that next time?" He just rolled his eyes.

"Well sorry Eva, I was kind of trying to keep track of who's in front of me myself at the moment, you know?" All four of us were holding our breath as Avery peeked out from behind the matching tapestry concealing us and gave us the all clear. No teachers, no devil cat, no Flitch, no Peeves to give us away, and the door to class was about ten feet straight across. Our luck was finally changing.

I glanced over at my three accomplices; all wearing the same matching looks of relief on their faces.

"I can't believe we actually made that."

We all stood, staring at the door to our classroom. No one spoke, no one made a move to go to class.

I have to admit, after all that had happened since breakfast, class really didn't sound too appealing.

Jae finally spoke. "So...who else wants to skip out on class and hang in the common room?"

We all voiced our agreement and exited the passageway, for Ravenclaw Tower.

**~O-o-O-o-O~**

"She called you a what!" As it turns out, the only thing we really had to do for Sorra to start talking again was to mention Heather. Professor McGonagall kept us all too busy in Transfiguration to tell her what had happened so as soon as we got to the Great Hall for lunch Kyle, Avery, Jae, and I all teamed up and cornered her. After we made sure she wouldn't pull out her wand and start cursing all of us into next weekend for bringing Kyle along, we made a unanimous decision to go and take turns explaining what had happened. I still had no idea what a Mud-blood was but it seemed saying that alone was bad enough to get Sorra fuming. Ah, scratch fumed, a better word might be exploded.

"I am going to squash her, I am going to squash her, I am going to transfigure her into the little cockroach she is and squash her! Then I'll do it again! And I'll enjoy it!" Yikes.

I quickly cut into her rant. "Sorra, it's fine, I don't even know what a Mudblood is, and I'm pretty sure you won't be able to turn her into a cockroach anyway. Though I would like to see that, it might get her out of our hair for a while if nothing else."

Avery laughed nervously; looking around to make sure Heather wasn't anywhere close.

"Trust me, there are always ways to do something if you look for them hard enough, and what in Merlin's name do you mean it 'doesn't matter'?"

Jae snorted and put in her opinion. "Eva, she called you a Mudblood. Trust us when we tell you that's the worst thing a person could call a Muggle-born. I say what we need is a little payback." I did not like the direction this was heading in at the moment.

Sorra grinned. "Thank you, Jae! Okay, so she still has to get her stuff together before her room change and that gives us some time. When we get back to Ravenclaw tower, Heather Rossi is going to wish she had never been born!" Sorra and Jae laughed and high-fived each other.

Kyle, Avery, and I shared a worried look. Heather wasn't the only one we had to worry about anymore, now we had to keep Sorra and Jae from getting expelled. Great.

* * *

**Later that day**

_I can't do this, I can't. Why, of all things in the magic world to do, why bloody flying?_

Class hadn't even started yet and only half the students had even arrived at the field but I was already panicking, hands gripping the old school broom so tightly my knuckles had turned pure white.

"Eva, relax. We're not really going to be flying today. You need to learn how to control the broom before they can make you do anything dangerous, it's only our first lesson of the year remember?" I slowly relaxed my grip on the broom and took a deep, shaky breath.

_Avery's right, if I panic now I'm just going to make things worse. I have to calm down before I can do anything, let alone survive to the end of class._

"Thanks Avery. I really needed that." She smiled reassuringly and softly punched my arm, making me laugh.

"No problem, that's what friends are for right? Not to mention you're my roommate for the next seven years, I wouldn't want you having a panic attack before you even mount your broom." I gave her a grateful look and glanced beside me at Sorra, who was currently shooting daggers at a certain red-head, standing just a few feet away from us. Heather was, in turn, sending them straight back at full force. Those two just wouldn't give it a rest.

"I hate that girl. Someone should knock her off her broomstick." If this kept up someone would be landing in the infirmary.

"What's wrong Sorra, are you looking for a picture? I'm sure it'll last longer." Sorra glowered at Heather.

"Not on your life hag. I was just imagining what your horns will look like once they finally come in. Why, are you looking to get hexed? I have a nice stinging spell I've been working on, and I'm just dying to try it out..." Just as I was starting to wonder if I was going to need to restrain her, Professor Black strolled out onto the Quidditch field.

_This should be interesting._

"Okay kiddy's, time for your first day at flying lessons with your very own Professor Black! Everyone line up and set your practice brooms down beside you. Remember, if you break it, no one is blaming it on me!" We all lined up, no one knowing completely what to expect, with Gryffindor on one side and Ravenclaw on the other. "Okay, first things first, we have a very special guest with us today. Let me introduce you to Harry Potter, by godson and the one and only Boy-who-lived!" I heard unbelieving gasps from all around as the very man from my chocolate frog card walked out smiling onto the practice field. Same bright green eyes under wire rimmed glasses, same black messy hair sticking up on all sides, and same lightning bolt scar standing out in the middle of his forehead. He smirked and playfully rolled his eyes at the professor as he came to a stop next to him.

"Now Harry, I think Remus is teaching you some bad habits. I swear you're getting just as good at that eye rolling thing as he is, and he's even better than me!" Harry looked mischievously at him.

"The only one teaching me bad habits is you _Professor Black_. You're the one who's always been the bad influence on people. I'm surprised they even let you within ten feet of these first years." All the students not still standing like they had been hit with a stunning spell were now watching with rapt attention at the humorous scene unfolding before them. The Professor huffed, looked away, and put on an obviously fake hurt expression, lip twitching slightly.

"Why I would never partake in such childish schemes! That dung-bomb in the bathtub last summer was all Remus's idea. How could you ever mistake that _childish _man with _me_! You wound me Harry!"

"Say's the one who still runs to get the last of the ice cream. You're calling him a child?"

"I'm genuinely hurt by your lack of faith in me, really I am! Okay, so I'll admit that maybe the twins and I had a little something to do with the incident, but the Weasley's are the ones with the joke shop. I was only there as a supervisor!" I heard Kyle stifle a laugh to my left. He was going to love this teacher. Harry looked at him accusingly and continued.

"If I remember correctly, _you_ were the one that came up with the idea to cast an invisibility charm and plant them in the tub, not Remus. You were also the one who considered throwing in some invisible wet-start firecrackers in along with them."

"Hm, good point, maybe there is hope for you yet. Fine, you win this match. Watch yourself though, next time I might become a bit of a sore loser and tell that lovely redheaded fiancé of yours about _said incident._ She hasn't heard that one yet." Harry looked like he was about to say something but the professor held up his hand to stop him and grinned evilly. "Don't think I won't Harry, this is me we're talking about. Though, you have to admit it was good, you were left smelling like old Lupin's dirty socks for at least the better part of a week!" He clasped his hands together and walked up and down the aisle we had made between us before stopping back next to Harry, who just chuckled slightly and shook his head, causing his already messy hair to become even messier.

"Now then, let's teach some first years the proper way to stay on the right side of their broomsticks!" Almost everyone had started laughing at this point, me included. I may not like the idea of flying, but the teacher didn't seem that bad at least.

I think Sorra was the only one still in shock, as her mouth was still open and Kyle had been trying to get her attention for the last twenty seconds with no reaction. I remembered Kyle mentioning she was obsessed with the Harry person, but he was still just a guy. He was funny I admit, but I still didn't get what the big deal was. I keep hearing about him but what did he do to cause this much an effect on her?

"First things first, getting your broom from the ground into your hand! Everyone hold out your hand palm down and when I tell you, say up. Harry, would you mind to demonstrate for us?" He laid his own shiny broomstick on the ground, golden letters spelling Firebolt on its side, before placing his arm, as instructed, above the broomstick.

"UP!" The broom jumped into his hand the first try.

"Now, it will probably take a few times for most of you to get this right. One tip, don't let it whack you in the nose! One of last year's students ended up with a very nasty looking nose-bleed. Okay, start practicing!" I felt my stomach start to re-knot itself painfully. _Did he really need to say that?_

Heather was the first to get her broom, followed closely by the twins and an athletic looking Gryffindor boy with sandy hair, and then came Jae and Avery. I was one of the last to get it right. Though on the bright side, at least I didn't get whacked upside the head like a smallish looking Ravenclaw boy did his first try. Once everyone held a broom in hand he called our practice to a stop.

"Good, looks as if most of you were able to get your brooms off the ground without too much injury to yourself… or others for that matter. Now, it's time to see if any of you can make it up into the air! Spread out across the field to keep from bumping into each other and then we can begin. Our goal for today is to get up at least half the height of the goal posts!" More knots were forming in my stomach as I craned my neck and looked up. That was high. Avery looked over at me apologetically and mouthed the word 'sorry'.

We all spread out across the playing field. I tried to hold back my rising panic as I noticed Heather a few feet over from me. I did not like the look on her face. Harry was walking around here and there, checking students form, showing them how to fix minor errors, and giving hints here and there while nodding approvingly every once and awhile at certain students. Finally, everyone seemed to be ready.

"Okay kiddies! On my signal, push up from the ground as hard as you can and then lean forward to come right back down. Keep doing this until you reach the mark I have set! On the count of three: One...Two...THREE!" All at once, twenty students pushed off the ground speeding up into the air and causing a great whooshing sound. We repeated this about ten times before I noticed that Heather seemed to keep getting steadily closer to me. I looked away, trying to keep my lunch down, when suddenly I was falling. My eyes widened as the ground speed towards me, and then I was slowing down. It wasn't slow enough.

As I landed, I heard a cracking sound emit from my wrist and pain was shoot up my arm. I had never broken any bones before, but I knew the moment I heard the snap that this was what had happened. I was probably lucky. My fall was somewhere up between twenty-five to thirty feet in the air and probably would have been much worse if someone hadn't cast a charm to soften the fall. As was, the only reason I snapped my wrist was that I had landed the wrong way on the landing. To top things off, I also had a headache. This is exactly why I didn't want to fly.

Next thing I knew, pretty much the entire class was standing over me with worried expressions.

"Are you alright?"

"Are you hurt?"

"What happened?" I watched Sorra and Kyle pushed their way through the crowd to the front along with the professor, Harry, and the rest of my roommates. My vision started to swim and I heard myself let out a small groan. Kyle and the others rammed themselves between me and the other students.

"Of course she isn't all right! She just fell of a ruddy broom from bloody thirty feet in the air! Give the girl some space for crying out loud!" They all started backing hurriedly away from Kyle. Out of nowhere Sorra rushed at Heather and wiped out her wand hardly an inch from her face.

"YOU! I saw what you did! I watched the whole thing. Every time Eva jumped up into the air you moved in a little closer. You thought everyone else would be too busy to notice what you were up to but I was watching. You ran into her broom and made her fall! I don't care how bad you hate her that was just sick and twisted!" Heather just stood there, calmly looking at the wand pointing at her face and…smiled?

"Ya right Neal; you hate me just as much as I hate you. Admit it; you're obviously making this up as an excuse to get back at me for what I said to your little friend earlier this morning. It's not my fault your little friend over there is lousy on a broomstick and-" She stopped as the big Gryffindor boy from earlier stepped forward. He looked venomous.

"I saw it too, that was a dirty move you made. Only a coward would stoop to doing something that low!"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Why don't you stay out of it muscle head." Unlike before, she didn't look so sure this time.

The boy smiled. "Well, what about them." One my one, other students stepped forward from the crowd, voicing their own opinions about what happened. None of them seemed to point in Heathers favor. By now Heather was practically fuming. Professor Black stepped forward, an odd smile on his face.

"Miss. Neal, I think it's safe to lower your wand now. You, Miss. Rossi, shall have to sit detention a full two weeks, polishing the schools broomsticks after class and practice." Heather sneered at him.

"Fine, like I care." She shot me a look, clearly stating it wasn't over. And I agreed. It wasn't going to be over by a long shot. Though I didn't think I would be the one she had to worry about.

I turned towards my friends and smiled. Each and every one of them looked fine and ready to rip her head off. It felt good, having someone to stick up for you. Just then Professor McGonagall came rushing across the grounds. Something was wrong. "Black, we have a problem. Dumbledore has called a meeting; he wants Potter to join us as well. It has to do with what we talked about...previously." The three adults shared a knowing look, it was clear this was something more to what was going on than what words would tell.

"We'll be over soon. Eva, come here and hold out your hand." I stood uncertainty and winced as I slowly extended my wrist. "Episkey!" All at once, the pain was gone. I rotated my wrist experimentally and grinned. It was like nothing had ever happened. I was really starting to like this magic thing.

"There, good as new, no need to worry old Pomphrey. She would have you there the whole night." He pocketed his wand and turned to his godson.

"Harry, there is only five minutes left of class, as soon as its over I want you to head up to the Headmasters office and join us. I'll let them know what's going on." Harry nodded solemnly. All joking had been pushed aside. Whatever was going on was nothing to laugh about.

As the two Professors left across the grounds for the castle I felt someone's eyes on the back of my neck. I briefly remembered feeling something similarly at the trip Daigon alley. My hairs standing straight out on end, and desperately hoping I was imagining it, I turned my eyes to the shadows of the forbidden forest.

Someone was there, hidden in a dark cloak and the dim lighting. I squinted my eyes to where they were almost closed, hoping to recognize someone from Hogwarts. Just like in the alley, the figure stepped back into the shadows and vanished before I could see any details. Something wasn't right about this, and I had a bad feeling in that it wouldn't be long before we found out why.

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**AN: Wow, seems like something is up at Hogwarts, Eva and friends are not having a very good day so far are they?**

**Also you should read the stories 'The Oddball' by Siriuslover867, 'Like me for who I am, not what I am.' By catherineamacky, 'A Sequel to the Epilogue' by TheShadowCat008 (that's going to be confusing), and last but not least 'Kind of not an Evil Queen' by AdFinem, oh ya and of course my own story. Plus my other story! **

**Told you things would be getting interesting...**


	6. The vision fufilled

_Ch. 6 the vision fulfilled_

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Disclaimer: I still do not own HP...dang it...

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**AN: Sorry it's taken so long, to be honest at first I was just lazy. I should have kept going while I had all those ideas jumping all over the place in my head after the first chapter... but I didn't. No cookie for me (hangs head in shame)**

**But now I'm back with a whole new chapter so never fear the Order is now here! And now and i have a message! I shall reply to every reviewer, anonymous or not, and I will pm all of you exempt anonymous which I will put in the bottom AN!**

**Keep those reviews coming people! They will make me write faster! I live off sugar and REVIEWS! READ THE AN AT THE BOTTOM FOR VERY IMPORTANT NEWS! Now the mystery starts! Hold on readers, here it comes!**

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**_Sirius POV_**

_If this is about what I think it is then we are about to land in some very deep trouble around this place. Although it's not like I haven't been in any of that before. Let's see, there was thirteen years in Azkaban for a crime I had never committed, going into hiding for two years after that, getting knocked into a mysterious veil by my own evil little cousin Bellatrix, being pulled out of the veil three years later to find out the war was finished and Voldemort was killed, then finding out that old bug eyed Trelawney had predicted yet another prophecy we have to deal with which, of course, only the teachers and order members know about, and now if this meeting is what about what I think it's going to be about, that prophecy is probably coming true right as we speak. Remus is right; I just don't know how to stay out of trouble. But then again this is Hogwarts after all. What did I expect, rainbows and daffodils?_

I smiled to myself as I walked up to the gray stone Gargoyle who sat guarding the entrance to the headmaster's office.

"Sugar Quills" The Gargoyle moved aside, revealing a winding stone staircase.

"Lady's first, Minnie." She scowled darkly, mouth forming a thin line. I smiled back innocently.

"I've told you this since you and your trouble making friends still roomed these halls. It's Professor McGonagall to you, Black. I honestly don't care if you are a professor now or not, as I still have not chosen to revoke that decision." I chuckled.

"As you say…Minerva." She narrowed her green eyes.

"I'm warning you." Not for the first time I noted the slight Scottish accent she seemed to use whenever agitated. It was pretty amusing actually. I just smiled brightly and followed her up the staircase. She always did hate when I called her that. Then again that is probably because I only used it to try and get myself out of trouble. It did work a few times though.

As we entered, the only other souls in the room was the Phoenix Fawkes, who seemed to have gone through another of his rebirthing cycles, and old Dumbledore himself. The headmaster conjured up two chairs in front of his desk as, cluttered as always with objects I couldn't begin to understand, and gestured for us to take a seat. I smiled as I fondly recalled all the times I was sent up here as a student for countless...uh, reasons and all the numerous times I sat in this very spot, sure this would be the time I would get my rear end sent back to mum. Every time thanking merlin I wasn't. I was sent enough Howlers from that old hag as it was.

I walked over to one of the oak arm chairs and sat down tensely next to McGonagall. Dumbledore studied us from over the rim of his half-moon spectacles, the usual twinkle of amusement showing clearly in his eyes.

"Minerva, Sirius, would either of you care for a lemon-drop?" I chuckled. Some people just never seem to change. I remembered all the times he offered those things to us as kids. I took one and grinned at the face Minerva gave him. As most did, she expressed the belief that he was attached to the point of obsession with the particular muggle candy. Probably right too.

"Alibis, why are we here? What does Potter have to do with any of this?" Dumbledore inclined his head thoughtfully, a small smile playing at his lips.

"All in good time Minerva." I shot her one of my famous fake hurt looks. Why does he get to call her that, just because he's the headmaster?

Dumbledore, never missing a thing, watched in obvious amusement. "I am sure Sirius here has figured it out by this point. Ah, Harry, come in my boy." I shrugged as Harry gave me a questioning look. "

"Now that everyone is here I shall explain. Sirius, we are in need of headquarters once more. The order has been assembled and we are the only members not yet in attendance." I nodded in understanding. _So I was right. This must be it._

We each walked over to the fireplace and each grabbed a handful of silver colored Floo-powder before taking turns throwing it in, stepping into the harmless emerald green flames, and clearly stating the destination. I was last.

_Well then, looks like I'm up._

I tossed in my own handful of Floo-powder before stepping into the fireplace and shouting "Number 12 Grimmauld Place!" In a whirl of flames I entered the Floo network, watching other magically connected fireplaces disappear behind me and feeling the usual queasiness that came with this form of travel.

Within seconds I had reached the destination. _Ah, home sweet childhood nightmare._

After the war we allowed access to Grimmauld place from a select few places. I brushed soot off my robes as I stepped out of the kitchen fireplace.

_I guess this is better than port-keying. I still wish the whole place could just burn down though, we could always get another headquarters, and with the money left so unwillingly by sweet old mum, I could always just go out and get my own bloody flat. Guess I should just be glad I found a way to blast that old hag off the wall. The place is a lot nicer without that bloody woman screaming her head off every time I entered the door. Blood traitor my foot._

I surveyed the crowded room before me, smiling. _Looks like the gangs all here tonight._

The entire Order was dotted around the magically enlarged kitchen table along with those of us who had just arrived. Including Remus and Tonks (Teddy must be asleep somewhere) along with Tonks parents, Neville Longbottom (as of last year the Herbology professor), The entire Wesley household, Hermione, Hesita Jones, Emmeline Vance, Hagrid (whose chair had apparently had been transfigured into a large armchair in order to fit him), crazy Ms. Figg, old Mad-Eye Moody, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Sturgis Podmore, and ugh...Snivilus, the greasy git.

_Nights just started and I'm already being sent the famous Severus death daggers. Some people just can't let things go. Then again I did almost get him killed, but you would think after the second war and all he might not be such a sour puss toward everyone. _I smiled to myself.

_Well, at least now I have an excuse to hex him if he decides to bug me. I might be a professor now but even professors deserve a little fun_. I felt my face fall as I saw who sat beside him.

_Now wait one bloody minute... is that Draco Malfoy?_

"Not to be rude or anything headmaster, but what is_ Draco Malfoy _doing at an Order meeting?" I watched as Moody's blue magic eye swerved to where the twenty one year old blond sat fidgeting in his seat. _Now what's got him so nervous looking? Well besides the obvious of course. That eye would be enough to give anyone the creeps._

"You asked exactly what I've been thinking Black. I'd like to have an explanation for this one myself." He took a swig from his hip flask and turned his scared face on Dumbledore. "You shouldn't have told him about this place, mark my words; he's not to be trusted."

I sat down slowly by Remus, silently agreeing with Moody, even if he's gone mad. Remus caught my eye with a raised eyebrow. I shrugged. How would I know what's going on?

I watched in curiously at the silent argument that seemed to pass between Mad-eye and Dumbledore. It seems something even bigger is going on tonight then I originally thought.

Dumbledore then spoke two words. "Lucius Malfoy."

The reaction was instant chaos.

"What are you talking about? What about Malfoy?"

"Why is Draco here?"

Dumbledore raised his hand for silence and it was like someone had just flipped a switch.

"Draco is here tonight with extremely valuable information that is crucial to the order. He has come to help." I meet Remus's eyes. It was official, Dumbledore had finally lost it.

"Now, I shall expect each and every one of you to listen to what he has to tell us. For the better of four years we have rounded up the escaped death eaters, but many are still on the loose." He smiled reassuringly at the blond. "Don't be frightened, stand up and tell us what you came here for." Dumbledore stepped back and the young Malfoy stood nervously.

"A few nights ago my father showed up at my house and asked me to rejoin the Death Eaters. He is planning on regrouping the rest of the Death Eaters still free and with help in the form of very ancient and powerful dark magic they plan to bring back his spirit, even if they can't bring back his body. I don't know how they plan to do this but I do know it is a magic that no one in this room has ever seen or heard of before. In the rules of magic it states that no one can be brought back from the dead, I can only guess that it is an item similar to the deathly hallows, but I'm not quite sure. When I told him no, my father…he didn't take it too kindly. I got out just in time." He stopped, the last part spoken in a bitter whisper, and sat back down without a single glance at anyone in the room.

After the war Lucas had gone into hiding. The few people who had seen him since claimed he had gone mad. Two times he rose as Voldemort's first in command; two times he was left humiliated at his defeat. Twice he had gained all that power, and twice his name had been left as a joke. It was enough to drive any man insane.

I smiled ironically, remembering when they thought the same of me. _Wonder what the gits feeling right now…_

Hermione stood from the table, not surprisingly with an obvious question on her mind.

"Sir, the vision is being fulfilled isn't it? It's happening just like Trelawney said it would. A follower of the Dark lord will rise in his master's place and try to bring Lord Voldemort back to restart the war. With help of a magic unknown, an enemy of the world will rise once more. The old hero's work is done and soon the fate of the world will rest on a single Muggle-born girl." Hermione, smart girl she was, didn't look the least bit phased at what had now been brought to light. In fact, she was looking more curious than anything else at the moment.

"Yes my dear, I'm afraid this is so. We must find the new child of the prophecy, before it's too late."

**O~o~O~o~O**

**Eva POV**

_I just know this is going to backfire on us._

We were all sitting together in a small circle, planning our assault on Heather, and I couldn't help but have a bad feeling something was about to go horribly wrong.

"_Shh, the target is entering the threshold, I repeat, the target is entering the threshold! Act normal! "I_ listened amusedly as Kyle's voice was magically transmitted out the end of my wand. I can't believe Sorra had talked us all into doing this.

After the last class, Heather had to stay behind to clean and put up the school brooms. In that time, Sorra had already devised an elaborate plot to get back at her for all she had put our little group through today. This plot involved a bucket load of banana pudding smuggled from dinner, concealed by a basic disillusionment charm, that away you couldn't see it unless you knew where and what you were looking at. Then there was a trick wire connecting the bucket to Heather's trunk that was almost impossible to see. Lastly were the feathers taken from Heather's very own down stuffed pillow. Kyle was the lookout and had now, using his wand as a magical five way walky-talky, informed us that Heather had finally entered the crowded common-room below.

The plan was simple, and the best part was only one person was technically required, and that was for throwing on the feathers. The rest of us would just sit back and watch. At least this is how Sorra explained it to us.

Heather would walk in and try to take her trunk from its place at the end of her bed, which would then trip the almost invisible trip-wire, to then spill warm banana pudding all over Heather, and for the final touch, Jae would throw on the feathers that would stick to the pudding, and after all that Sorra would be ready with a camera. After the film was magically developed she planned to put it all over the school with three big ones inside the Great Hall. Funny thing is that Sorra got the last part of the idea from Heather herself.

I heard Avery sigh and I glanced over at two of my new friend, Sorra had an almost maniacal looking smile plastered on her olive skinned face while Avery sat there looking like she was a bomb about to explode.

"Sorra, you're really starting to scare me. Are you sure we should go through with this? You don't think she just might be expecting something like this after today? I mean, Heather's a jerk but she was put in Ravenclaw for a reason. She's not an idiot." Sorra gave her a hurt look that reminded me of Kyle. Well, they are twins after all. Her eyes darted quickly to the door and she ran as fast as she could to her bed.

"Shh, she's coming, everyone try and act natural." I smiled at that. No matter what Sorra said she could be just as childish as Kyle at times. This was one of those times.

We all got into our places and tried to look busy with studying. As soon as I lay down by Midnight and opened my text book she entered, looking extremely agitated may I add. Heather was no longer glaring daggers. As of that moment she was glaring pitchforks.

"You four are going to pay for this. I had to clean and polish those dumb brooms for a whole hour. A hour I could have spent doing something that actually mattered to my life, like my hair! It looks horrid after that flying lesson! And all that polishing ruined my manicure!" I looked at her fiery red hair. Not a strand was out of place. Her nails looked exactly the same too. She towards her trunk, smiled, and drew out a black ebony wand from her right robe pocket.

"Aparecium!" The bucket was now left in plain sight, right above Heathers trunk. Four pairs of eyes suddenly widened. How did she even know it was there? Avery cast the charm herself, it looked flawless.

"You know, if you want to keep something secret I would suggest not screaming your plan out for the whole world to hear. I mean really, that is just sad. Did you seriously think I would fall for something that obvious? Ah well, Locomotor Bucket." Heather casually flicked her wand over in the direction of Sorra, causing the bucket to fly towards her. The next thing we knew, our plan maker had been covered head to toe in lukewarm banana pudding. I told her it would backfire.

"That should teach you. I'm not someone to mess with. Next time, don't get in my way." Heather smirked, magically packed her stuff, and levitated her trunk out of the room.

As I looked over at my pudding covered friend I had to hide a smile as the other girls quickly tried to stifle their own laughter behind their textbooks.

"Well, look at the bright side Sorra." Midnight jumped over to her bed and started licking pudding off her clothes.

"Really, there's a bright side to this? Please, go ahead and tell me." By now both Avery and Jae had given up hiding behind their books and were clutching their sides with silent laughter. It looked like it hurt a bit. I grinned at Sorra.

"Well...at least you not covered in feathers." she frowned at me before pushing Midnight, who seemed to be greatly enjoying the banana pudding, off her bed and onto the floor.

"Eva, you had better watch out. Cause after Heather...you're gonna be next." she looked down at her pudding covered clothes and frowned. "Right after I take a shower that is."

**O-o-O-o-O**

**Big Time skip: Halloween day, two months later, Location: Potions...**

"Eva! Eva, will you please come out of it? You're zoning out again." Sorra was snapping her fingers in front of my face. The five of us were seated in the back of potions classroom (A.K.A.: dark, cold, and creepy dungeon), which we were sharing with the Hufflepuff house. I watched nervously as Snape prowled around the room like some oversized pail looking vulture. If he came back here I was doomed. I looked down at my cauldron. Unlike the teal blue it should have normally been my potion resembled instead a horrible sick purple color. I was dead for sure.

It had been almost two months since the Heather incident. The date was Friday October 31st. This year, much to the displeasure of students and staff alike, Halloween was taking place on a Friday. This was the last class before Halloween night officially begun.

I had hardly gotten any sleep the night before because of the dozens of recent nightmares I had been having every time my eyes closed. All day I had been dozing off in my various classes. I was horrible at Potions as it was but normally I could at least manage to scrape by an average on it. Today I would be lucky if it was counted as a passing grade.

We were supposed to be making a sleeping draught potion that caused a short dreamless sleep, something I really could have used last night. Maybe then I could at least enjoy the thought of Halloween. I frowned at my caldron. If someone took this thing they might never wake up, though I could probably safely assume it would be a dreamless sleep. _I hate nightmares.  
_  
Sorra seemed to have noticed my irritation.

"I think you forgot the flabberworm mucus. Maybe if you just add that your potion will be better?" _And here I thought this was supposed to be a simple one. Some smart Ravenclaw I'm turning out to be. Forget Ravenclaw, how did I even make it into Hogwarts?_ I turned around as Avery tapped me from behind.

"Here, let me help you with that. You know, before Snape comes back here and starts deducting points for bad potion skills or something like that. I don't think he's the type of person to go easy on us just because it's a holiday." She handed me a sheet of parchment. It was instructions she had written down on how to fix my sleeping potion.

Avery had exiled at Potions class from day one. The only one who topped her in our year was Heather, who seemed to be at the top at almost everything she did. Sorra and Kyle claimed she was somehow cheating in classes but I don't think that was it. Heather was smart. Didn't matter if we liked it or not. She was smarter then she looked.

"Thanks Avery." The blond made a _'don't mention it'_ gesture and went back to making her own Sleeping Draught Potion. It was almost done and looked a nearly perfect teal.

"Need your goody-goody friends to do the work for you know? It's not like it will even make a difference." _Heather._ Jae turned from her own bubbling caldron and studied the redhead eleven year old that was standing in front of our little group.

"What are you doing over here? Shouldn't you be working on your own potion?"

"Jae, it's fine. Yes, I do need help. So they are helping me. Why _are_ you over here?" Heather gave me one of her superior smiles and then scowled at my caldron.

"I am already done. Thanks for the concern though. I was asked to go ah, _help_, any of you who were lagging behind on your work." Kyle shot her an accusing look.

"That is a load of Hippogriff dung and you know it. Go take a swim with the Grindylow ya big fat prat. We don't need any of your help. Not that you would ever really give it to us anyway." She smiled sweetly and walked away. I turned back to fixing my potion. I didn't like how calm she was acting.

Class ended and I just managed to fix the potion in time, though it was barley a passing. Our little group packed our stuff and hurried out of the dungeons.

"Hey Kyle, I was wondering something." Jae had come up beside us with arms full of school books. "Who was that blond headed Hufflepuff girl with the curls you kept looking at today in our classes?" Kyle suddenly grew beet red.

"Well, uh, that...that was Ria. Hey does anyone know how we are supposed to do the Astrology homework? I'm stumped. Question five made no sense to me at all." _Why is he changing the subject like that and who is Ria?  
_  
"You know what, I just realized I forgot something back in class, I'll catch up with you later!" He ran off in the directions of the dungeons. "Just save a spot for me at the feast if I don't make it back before they start!" _Okay…_

I looked back to my remaining friends.

"Did anyone else notice what he did over there?" Three heads nodded agreement. Sorra smiled and laughed.

"I think my brother has a crush! Hold on, I'm gonna follow him, and before you guys say it no we are not _ALL _going. That would give it away and I have _got_ to see this! I'll meet up with you later. Save me a spot at the feast!"

**o-O-o-O-o**

**Sorra POV**

_Gone to get your books Kyle? Ya right. I knew he was lying, looped around as soon as he thought no one could see him! This is such perfect blackmail material. Forget being the good twin this is to perfect an opportunity to pass up! _I hit something hard and barely caught myself from crying out in surprise. _Oh shoot!_

I had stubbed my toe and Kyle turned around at the noise. I was lucky I had opted to wait at the end of the corridor where I could duck behind the edge of wall. I was such a klutz! I peered back around the edge only to see that Kyle was gone.

_Now where did that numb-skulled brother of mine head off to?_

"Sorra, what are you doing here?" Oh… son of a banshee. I turned around, quickly trying to think up a plausible excuse for being in a deserted hallway. I had nothing. _How does he do that?_

"Oh, hi there Kyle, fancy meeting you here! So, how about that Chudley Cannons match in the paper this morning? Talk about a close one! 200-210! Haha, ahhhh...I'm busted aren't I?" He smiled, but it did not look like the funny, laughing kind.

"Oh ya, you're busted big time." Oops, he does not look like he's happy to see me. "Why were you following me?" I shrugged and looked at him accusingly.

"I don't know? Why did you lie about forgetting your books? Who is Ria? Wait a second; don't say anything, someone's coming this way." I pulled him into a nearby deserted classroom and quickly darted behind a big wooden desk in the corner. It wasn't very much cover but it was something. At least it had enough space behind it for two middle-sized eleven year olds. That was something at least.

"Sorra what are…mmpmmh" I shoot him a look, mentally screaming at him to shut up. Dumb brother, what part of quite someone is coming is so hard to get? I'm sure I made it pretty clear the first time.

"If you can keep your big fat trap shut and not give us away I'll go ahead and take my hand off your mouth. Shhh, quiet down will you, they're coming in the classroom." I heard the classroom door click shut. We're trapped. We both held our breath and backed up closer to the wall as two pairs of footsteps headed in our direction. They stopped only a few feet from where we were hiding.

I peered through the small gap between the desk and the floor but all that was visible from our point were two pairs of unidentifiable shoes. The mystery of who was in the room was partially solved as soon as they started talking as there was one voice I recognized right away.

_Heather... I would recognize that superior bratty tone anywhere. What is she doing in here?_

"Are you sure no one followed us." We both edged around the corner, just out of sight, to get a better visual at what was happening. I recognized the student standing next to Heather as a first year Slytherin boy, but why would he be with Heather? I cringed. Unless he was her boyfriend or something...yuck, just yuck. I never understood how some of the other girls got boyfriends so early. We're only eleven for crying out loud. Not to mention that out of anyone here Heather would seem like the worst possible choice_. _

_I'm going to feel sorry for whatever guy is unlucky enough to end up with her. Uh, it gives me shivers just thinking about it._

"I'm sure. What did you want Heather. I'm busy." The boy was extremely tall for eleven and pail as a vampire with dark eyes and short black hair. His eyes weren't exactly cold per say, but more like calculating. He also stood about a good three inches taller than Heather and seemed to be extremely annoyed. Yet Heather just stood there, looking extremely bored and studying her perfect nails yet again, just like always. If I were in her shoes, the look he was shooting Heather alone would have been enough to make me want to run for cover. I thought mum had a nice death glare but this dude might even beat her, and that's a hard feat to accomplish when you're an eleven or twelve year old first year at Hogwarts. Okay, so not her boyfriend. That's a relief. But if he isn't that who is this guy? Tall, dark, and angry sure doesn't seem like a friend of hers.

"Don't get all testy on me. If you remember we still have that ah, deal." The kid looked about ready to punch her. Was Heather blackmailing a Slytherin? Wow, that's unique.

"Fine, now what is it?" Heather pouted.

"What's wrong Eldon? A person would think you're not happy to see your favorite little cousin." He scowled darkly and balled his fists.

"You have never, ever, been my favorite anything and this isn't helping matters. I'll ask one you more time before I walk out. What do you want?" Heather sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You're such a killjoy Eldon. Look, something is going on around here and I want you to help me find out what it is. Have you noticed how distracted all the professors have been around here lately? I think something big is happening, and it's going to be really big." Eldon just gave her a skeptical look.

"It's true. The first day of school at flying lessons, Professor McGonagall ran onto the practice field at the end of class saying there was something the headmaster needed to talk to them about. Potter was there too, as I'm sure you remember from your own class. Ever since then they have all looked on edge. It's like they are expecting something. Something bad, except it's like they don't know what that thing is or where and when it will take place. It's weird. And then there was this weird knowing look they shared. Like there was something more to the meaning then what they would discuss in front of us." Wait, they were cousins? The two look nothing alike! Why would she blackmail her own family member? How could I have missed all of this while that no good prat didn't? What is going on around here? I looked over at Kyle and we had one of our silent conversations. Well that's one advantage of being a twin.

He gestured to the door but I shook my head. There was no way we could sneak past those two. The door was shut and though they seemed extremely focused on the conversation there was no way we could sneak right passed them in broad daylight without being busted on the spot. Besides, we had to find out what was happening.

"What are you going on about, they're _professors_. I'm sure it was something about classes or other Hogwarts stuff._ You_ are imagining things and_ I_ am leaving." She grabbed his arm and roughly pulled him back away from the door.

"No you aren't, because I'm not done yet. After they left I saw a person in long black robes and a mask. He or she was standing in the shadows of the forbidden forest. I think it was a Death Eater. I also think they found a way around Hogwarts enchantments. I need to know how and why." I was feeling dizzy. There are Death Eaters at Hogwarts? Merlin this is bad. Eldon pulled his arm away and turned back towards the door.

"You're delusional. Even if it was true I don't see why you would care. I am leaving. If there is anything else you have to tell me it can just wait till _after_ the Halloween feast." Heather snarled and stormed out. Her cousin followed close behind but just as Eldon reached the door he stopped dead in his tracks, hesitated for a second, and then calmly turned his head around, bottomless black eyes trained directly on our hiding place.

"I won't rat you two out, but just a gentle warning. Don't get involved in this one. If you do I'll be forced to take... necessary measures to keep all of you out of the way. Trust me when I say I don't want to hurt you or your friends. I have no love for my cousin but she's right about one thing. There is more going on than here anyone in or out of this school knows about. Don't get in the way." He turned back to the door. "Enjoy the feast." I held my breath and stared wide-eyed at the desk side in shock as his footsteps quickly disappeared. I looked over at my brother.

"Who is this kid?"

**O-o-O**

**Eva POV**

Kyle and Sorra had both walked into the Great Hall while nearly headless nick did a reenactment of his beheading looking extremely shaken. When we asked what had happened they just shared a silent look with each other and said they would both explain later. Our concern only increased when the twins hardly touched their food at all during the feast. They were always hungry.

We exited the great hall and headed back up to our common room. We all gathered around the fire as the twins told us what had happened. It was five minutes after the two finished until anyone so much as moved.

"Who was that guy?" Avery was looking highly disturbed. Sorra shrugged.

"I've asked myself that about half a dozen times already. The real question is, is he friend or foe?"

* * *

**AN: Well that was a shock! Who is this Slytherin cousin? Is he a friend or a foe? How does this mystery student know so much? Why is Heather blackmailing him and what kind of dirt could she have to do it with? How does an eleven year old kid manage to look so scary? What about Ria? Do you think they just forgot? How did he know they were behind the desk? So many unanswered questions but only one way to find them out!**


	7. Mysteries

_Ch. 7 The mystery_

* * *

**Ugh! Hate freaking writers block! And now school. I redid this 5 times and this is going to be really short because I need to get it out already!**

**Wow, what's up with all the guest reviews! I can't Pm you my thanks! D: okay, I guess I shall put it here... THANK YOU!**

**Sorry it is so late...I am so ashamed!**

**I would like that thank my new beta reader (though unofficial by fanfiction standards) AdFinem! Give this lovely beta a big round of applause! AdFinem will be going over previous chapters and helping me fix any little mistakes that are found as well as helping with new chapters! Okay last thing, this unofficial beta is also a fellow writer and has a story named Kind of not a evil Queen! So go read it, read my fellow bookworms, read!**

**Oh, also I am trying to decide something for Christmas. Should Eva stay at Hogwarts due to...ah...mysterious circumstances, or should she stay with her aunt, who still does not know about her magic(hint hint), for a big plot surprise? Or should that surprise wait till next book or during the summer? I am going to be putting a poll up for this so either review your answer or take the poll, your pick! Okay, I'm done...On to the story!**

**Remember to review! I can't write if you don't like!**

* * *

Third Person POV

**X-Somewhere miles away from Hogwarts-X**

A lone hooded figure kneels next to an old headstone which stands forgotten in the dark, eerie graveyard. Through the murky grey clouds bright silver moonlight shines, illuminating the weather worn name carved into the piece of gray stone slab.

_Tom Riddle._

"It's almost time, Master," the figure spoke, a slightly crazed sound to his voice. "As I speak the remaining Death Eaters are gathering from around the world. No longer will we hide from the fools that claim they defeated us. Soon we will seize control of both the magical and Muggle worlds alike."

The figure rose from his kneeling position, face hidden beneath a stark white mask. "And this time, the Potter brat and that meddling old fool Dumbledore won't be able to stop us. Soon, very soon, we will rise again and take what is rightfully ours..." The figure turned swiftly on his heel, revealing a quick strand of platinum blonde hair, before vanishing into the night with a soft pop.

The graveyard was silent for a few moments. Then came quiet, padding steps headed from behind a towering mausoleum and a large dog came into view, black coat naturally blending in with the shadows cast by a crumbling angel looming above.

The dog stood in place, tilting its head and staring intently at the old gravestone. Then it transformed. Its spine straightened out into an upright position, the hind quarters became toes, feet, and legs. Front legs and paws were now hands and arms. The shaggy black fur had changed to a long black cloak, hiding the features of the dog, who was now a fully grown man, in shadow.

"Huh, Maybe Malfoy Jr. has changed..." The man mused. "He told the truth, and I guess that counts for something at least...I guess Dumbledore needs to know now. Old coot had better have a plan for this... If we end up with another ministry fiasco Malfoy Senior is going to be the least of his worries." With another soft pop, he too vanished, leaving the dead alone in the cold, still, darkness once more.

**~O-o-O~**

**Eva POV**

We sat in shocked silence. Sorra's tale had been a big reveal for all of us. Who was this Eldon guy? More importantly... had Heather really saw the hooded man at flying lessons as well? What did this all mean?

Then I remembered—Professor Black was missing from the High Table this morning, and this wasn't the first time either. In fact, many of the teachers were alternately missing meals as of late. But it is never at the same time, always on different days...Black today, and Dumbledore all day Monday...and it had all started two weeks ago, just like Heather had said...

I stared into the roaring fireplace, watching the flickering flames leap up from the grate while the popping of the burning wood echoed our thoughtful silence. _What is happening around here? Who was that guy Heather was with?_

I turned away from the fire, looking intently at the two twins. "Kyle, Sorra, what are Death Eaters?" Avery tensed up suddenly out of the corner of my eye. Curious, I turned toward her. "Avery?" For a minute I thought I saw a tear in her eye before she looked down and started playing with a loose black thread dangling from out the end of her robe.

"Who, not what, they're...they were...they were followers, of—" She swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, it's… it's just hard to talk about..."

Jae put her arm around Avery comfortingly, everyone sharing a sad look, through Sorra's was somewhat...sadder.

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to. I can do it instead," Avery quickly shook her head at Jae's offer.

"No, sorry, I'm fine...it's just...my older brother died in the last war against him, against Voldemort... That was four years ago, that was the night when the second war ended. He was in his sixth year." I was speechless.

"Both wars ended with Voldemort being defeated, and both times he was defeated by the same person, Harry Potter—once as a baby, and once again four years ago. So many people lost so much in that war. Mum wanted to take my brother Jake out of school, but he wouldn't leave. He died during the Battle. His birthday would have been three weeks ago. He'd be twenty-one. "Avery made a small choking noise as tears slipped out her eyes. Jae hugged her tightly as she continued, softer than before.

"A lot of the professors, and people you see around today—like Black and Lupin— they probably would have died after the second war, if it wasn't for Dumbledore. He had faked his death the year before the Battle, creating a kind of fake duplicate real enough to be believable and allowing him to carry out his plan. It had to have been a powerful, complex spell to work...They say he made a plan with Professor Snape, who was a double agent in the war and helped provide information on Voldemort's movements. The year he was 'dead' was spent gathering allies... he got to the Battle of Hogwarts in time to save a lot of people, but at the same time he didn't save enough. Dozens of Hogwarts students died...they were easy targets, and so they were the ones that the death eaters went after." Jae gave a shuddering sigh and squeezed Avery tighter. "It's a really long story and I don't feel like telling it now. It's probably all over exaggerated anyway." I was shocked. Dumbledore had faked his own death? Professor Snape had been a double agent?

Then what she had said really started to sink in. Students had died. Families had been destroyed, children and siblings were gone forever… and they would never be able to get them back.

I felt terrible, selfish...Here I was, stressing and moping like my life was over. These people had lost family members for good...they'd probably give anything just to know that they were alive. At least I know my mum is alive.

"I'm so sorry..." I whispered.

Avery wiped her eyes on her robe sleeve and gave me a shaky smile. "Yeah...I never really talked to anyone about it besides my family. Even in my family...we don't really talk. It's just not the same, thinking about how he's gone." She smiled bitterly. "Jake was always so nice and funny, forever trying to play the hero, always helping others without thinking of what it would cost him...that's how he died. One of his friends was cornered, he jumped in. It didn't matter in the end anyway, they both died...why did he have to be such a bloody Gryffindor?"

None of us really had anything to say after that. We sat there in silence for what felt like hours, but in reality it was probably only a few minutes. I thought about all I had heard. And that's when it hit me.

"Guys, I think I have something." They all looked at me and I felt myself go a little red. I never was good at talking in front of people, and sharing my ideas. It was a weird feeling.

"Well, um...Harry Potter was there at the first flying lesson with Professor Black, right? That's the same lesson where Heather and I both saw the robed man in the forest. And, remember, Professor McGonagall came and said Dumbledore wanted to see them both... If that was a Death Eater, the robed man in the forest, don't you think they already know that something's going on?" My nerves were channeling my thoughts, and my mind was racing now. "The last battle was at Hogwarts...Harry Potter was the one who defeated Voldemort...Dumbledore had a big part in it, too...Professor Black disappeared last night and hasn't come back since—"

"And Dumbledore was gone all day Monday," Jae cut in.

"Yeah, McGonagall was gone too, and don't you think she would have been fighting in the Battle as well?" I watched as four pairs of eyes widened in sudden alarm. Kyle stared at me, mouth open, completely dumbfounded while Avery only stared ahead blankly.

Kyle shook his head. "This can't be happening. Are you saying, maybe the Death Eaters are coming back together, and the Hogwarts defenders are gathering again...maybe another war?" I bit my lip. Was that it?

Kyle continued. "Last war, Sorra and I weren't allowed outside the house. You couldn't trust anyone around you. Not neighbors, not family, not your friends, because any one of them, at any time, could have been under the Imperius Curse..." Kyle looked like he was about to be sick. "This can't be happening..."

We all jumped as Sorra rose abruptly from her seat. Her normally bright eyes guarded.

"Of course it's not happening. Voldemort is gone—dead, and not coming back, ever. It says so in the rules of magic that you can't bring someone back from the dead. We thought he was dead before, but that was some kind of Dark magic or something, he wasn't really dead. But now he's truly dead! Not even someone like Voldemort can come back from being truly dead!"

She shook her head wildly and gathered her things, stuffing them haphazardly into her bag. "Sorry, I just need to get out...Defense homework. I'll be down by the lake if you need me." We watched, stunned as Sorra rushed top-speed out of the common room.

"What was that about?" I asked looking at the door Sorra just hurriedly rushed out of.

"We don't have Defense homework though..." Jae trailed off.

Kyle sucked in a sharp breath. "I think..." He groaned. "I'm so stupid...yeah, I know what it is. How did I forget?" The rest of us gave him bewildered looks.

He stood, shuffling his feet. "Um...don't talk about this stuff when Sorra's around. Sorry, I'll explain later..."

With that the other Neal twin dashed out of the common room.

Jae, Avery, and I sat in our chairs, each thinking over everything we had heard.

**O-o-O-o-O**

**Sorra POV**

_This isn't happening, I'm right, it can't be happening...Right?_

I ran over to the black lake and collapsed under the shade of the giant oak tree. It couldn't be happening. Voldemort was gone. He wasn't coming back, to kill more people, to start more wars...My Hogwarts years were going to be fun, free, magical, new friends for a lifetime...like it's supposed to be...

"Sorra!" It was Kyle. I sighed and lifted my head, looking up at the overcast sky. Grey storm clouds, blocking out the sun and the little warmth it provided this time of year. Winter was approaching quickly.

I smiled without humor. _It's the perfect weather to fit my mood._

"Go away, Kyle." I frowned as he flopped heavily down in the green grass next to me, completely ignoring what I had just said.

"You miss her, don't you Sorra? Miria, your best friend?" I didn't respond, just stared at the lake with more intensity. This didn't discourage Kyle.

He started picking at the grass and rolling it lazily in-between his fingers. Finally after about five minutes of silence he dropped the grass and smiled sadly.

"I remember her coming over all the time...you two would always annoy the heck out of me... Sometimes you acted like she was more of your twin then I was." I stared hard at my brother.

Miria was my best friend. We really were practically sisters...she was like my second twin. We knew each other so well, and complimented each other in the best ways. Her parents were big Muggle supporters during both wars. When Voldemort came back to full power and attacked pro-Muggle families, her parents knew their time was coming. They came to our house the night before...Miria and I played like usual, not knowing it was the last time we'd see each other.

The next morning the Dark Mark was seen hanging high up over their house. Death Eaters had attacked, and her whole family was found dead on the living room floor. It was all over the Prophet... this was before Voldemort took over that as well. I shook my head and glared at Kyle.

"Why did you come after me if you knew why I came out here? I wanted to be alone." He shrugged, looking out to the dark water of the lake in thought, just as I had been doing moments before.

"You and Miria were really close... but it was four years ago, and I figured you'd be okay with it now. If it still affects you though I guess—"

"JUST GET AWAY FROM ME!" I forcefully pushed Kyle away, not caring if he was hurt. He nearly tripped into the lake, but unfortunately he caught his balance. I rushed, sobbing, away from him, not caring where I was headed in the process.

"Sorra, wait!" I ignored him, only running faster.

I had been going around blindly for a bit before I looked up, brightly colored leaves crunching softly under my feet, and with a jolt realized where I was.

I had run into the Forbidden Forest.

* * *

**AN: Cliffhanger! More back history! I got some people saying Eva seemed kinda selfish with all the other people must have lost in the war only four years ago. This showed some of that.**

**When I update after a few weeks I will combine that chapter with this one to make it longer. I know its a bit weird but I'm weird sooo, ya...**

**I do want to say something to the guest. You realize that that was only chapter 4 right? Before you say that maybe you should read the whole thing. You can't tell much by chapter 4. **

**I quote you said(Cliché plot, shitty writing, obnoxious Mary Sues... yawn.) Could you explain how for once? Make fun of my writing all you want but I am curious to why you think they are Sue's, if no one tells me I cant really fix them can I? The others are your own Opinion but I would like to see you do better. How about you get a account and upload your own stories before trashing someone else's? Oh, and thanks for the mini flame! (pops open marshmallows) **

**Till next time!**


	8. What lurks in the shadows…

**A/N: Hi, sorry for the super long wait! I have had five projects just since I last posted, as well as test and events and a bunch of other stuff you probably wouldn't want to hear about. I swear these teachers synchronize their homework schedules or something, homework isn't just killing trees anymore people, it's killing time! **

**Okay, a few more POV changes this chapter than normal, but there is a reason for this!**

** I also combined some chapters and added text like a spot in the first chapter that was pretty sweet showing more to her dad then what you have seen so far. Nice little family moment there...**

**Also, I am betaing the story "Alice Black and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by GailyGail so go read it! I haven't done all the chapters, just 1-7 and the current ones. But still. Now, let's give a big warm round of applause to my very own beta, AdFinem!**

**Remember to review suggestions and opinions! I need to know!**

**_CH. 8 What lurks in the shadows…_**

**Sorra's POV**

_This has to be the worst bloody Halloween in history! After all that has happened today, I end up lost in the forbidden forest after dark and can hardly see ten feet in any direction, I have absolutely no idea how I'm supposed to get back to the castle, I could get expelled just for getting caught out here, and for all I know there could be numerous kid-eating creatures just waiting for some dumb first year like me to come crashing through the woods!_

I cringed slightly as a twig snapped loudly to my left and let out a shaky sigh as a rabbit darted out from some bushes, giving me a curious look before going on its way. I laughed at myself, feeling increasingly stupid for scaring so easily.

"Ha, scared of a little bunny. Nice one Sorra, if Kyle knew I'd never live it down..."

I continued along, babbling softly to myself, wincing every time a leaf crunched under my feet. Then it came to me-

"Hey, wait a ruddy second, am I a witch or not? Merlin, I'm stupid! Why am I even in Ravenclaw, why am I even at this school? Now, where is my..." My eyes widened as I felt my empty pockets.

_Oh no...I lost my wand! Shoot, shoot, shoot! Why? Why does the universe hate me today! Uh, what is it they say to do when you're lost? Sit and wait for someone to find you?_' I looked up at the dense branches above, blocking the pale moonlight, and frowned.

I suddenly felt my neck tingle, hairs standing straight up on their ends. Someone was here.

My eyes widened as a cloaked man appeared swift and silent out of the eerie, dancing shadows, a long black cloak covering himself and his face guarded...by a mask...a silver mask. A sudden chill ran up my spine that had nothing to do with the chill October night as he laughed, high and cruel.

"Now, what are you doing out of the school so late, little girl? Shouldn't you be up in your bed by now? You never know what could be out here, waiting for someone to come along." I slowly started backing slowly away when I tripped, tumbling backwards over a tree root and scooted back against the tree as far as I could. I looked up at the skull shaped mask, slivers of moonlight reflecting off the surface, making it glow eerily out of the darkness.

_He's one of them, one of the people that killed Maria..._

"You-you're a Death Eater..."

He pulled out a wand, letting out another malicious laugh. I felt my heart hammering inside my chest as my voice was lost, knowing what came next, after hearing so much about the victims there was no doubt about it.

"Well, the little girlie knows her history! Do you know anything else? Like, for example, what Death Eaters do to people who get in their way? I think I'll have a bit of fun here, no one is around to hear you scream...you should have stayed inside little girl."

I felt everything go cold as the blood drained from my face. Before I knew what was happening, I scrambled up off the ground and ran, but I didn't even make it ten feet before I tripped on another tree root, this time tearing my robes, leaves crushing under me and a twig sticking itself firmly in my side.

I turned onto my back, eyes staring wide as the man moved slowly towards me, calm and menacing. He aimed his wand and spoke one word.

"Crucio."

_What is this noise? It's me..._ I was in so much unbearable, excruciating pain, that it didn't matter. A pain, like a thousand hot knives running through me again and again, hit across my entire body. I managed to form one coherent thought.

_'I finally get to Hogwarts, and now I'm going to die.'_

Somewhere, as if far away, I heard voices, distant voices. Someone screamed and the pain lifted. The last thing I felt was a pair of big hands picking me up, then all there left was darkness and blissful silence.

**~O-o-O-o-O~**

**Third Person POV**

A hooded man stands in the shadows, laughing, and pulls out a wand, pointing it to a black haired girl lying on the ground.

"Well, the little girlie knows her history! Do you know anything else? Like, for example, what Death Eaters do to people who get in their way? I think I'll have a bit of fun here, no one is around to hear you scream... you should have stayed inside little girl."

He watched as she bolted away from him, amusement clear in his uncaring stance. He laughed as she tumbled back to the ground, a slow groan escaping her lips as he strolled slowly towards her, noting the panicked look in her eyes.

"Crucio"

He cast the spell, one of the three unforgivables, as if it was nothing more than a joke, saying it as if he was almost bored while watching his victim scream and spasm on the cold forest floor.

"Perhaps I am lucky, and you are the little girl we want...As I said, little girls should never go in the Forest alone…"

Laughing, the man raised his wand to finish the job, but before he could a massive, bearded man tore through the trees behind him. The bearded man's eyes flick to the girl and back to the hooded figure.

"GIT AWAY FROM HER!"

The large man held a crossbow, aimed and ready in his enormous hands. The Death Eater hissed and waved his wand, and vanished. Sorra stopped screaming, now deathly quiet.

"GIT BACK, YEH COWARD!" The massive man waved his crossbow in the air, before strapping the weapon to his back. With surprising tenderness, he gathered the tiny first year girl in his bear arms and rushed back up towards up to the castle.

**~O-o-O-o-O~**

**Eva POV**

Kyle had rushed back into the common room minutes after he left, explaining in a panic how he watched Sorra run, crying, into the Forbidden forest and after that finding her wand lying out on the ground, half covered by leaves.

We had been searching the grounds for about half an hour before we saw Hagrid lumber out of the Forest, a small figure held protectively in his arms. As he got closer I saw the familiar jet black hair, olive skin littered with freckles. It was Sorra.

"I found her! She's with Hagrid!"

We bolted across the grounds over to the giant man; Kyle running faster than I ever thought was possible. I watched as his face went dead white at the sight of his sister, pail, bruised, and scraped with autumn leaves tangled into her hair, ripped-robes, and mud smeared on her face. She was a mess.

"What happened? What happened to my sister? Sorra!" Kyle was pushed out of the way as the half giant ran past.

"No time, Kyle, I have ter see Madam Pomfrey an' Dumbledore!"

_Sorra…_

Kyle sprinted after him, the rest of us following, flying up to the hospital wing and jumping over the trick stair on the way. Not even Peeves and his bucket full of water balloons were going to stop us. It scared me that something had hurt Sorra in the Forest. I had to know that she was alright. I wasn't just going to stand by and watch things anymore. Sorra was my friend and something hurt her. I was going to find out what and I was going to find out why. I wasn't going to let anyone I care about get hurt again.

We saw Hagrid come to a stop up ahead and Madam Pomphrey open the infirmary doors.

"Hagrid what…" Madam Pomfrey let out a gasp and trailed off, ordering Hagrid to lay Sorra on a bed. We tried to follow her but we were blocked.

" I'm sorry, my boy, but she needs rest, and it will be easier to tend to her with less people."

"But she's my sister! My twin! Please, it's my fault she's like this, I should have stopped her!" We were all shocked as Kyle pleaded to be let in, looking petrified how something like this could have happened. I looked closer at Kyle. Tears were streaming down his face, and his eyes were pure agony. Jae looked close to tears, watching him, and Avery went to squeeze his arm reassuringly.

"I promised mum I would watch her…" Pomphrey gave him a short, pitying look, but shook her head sadly and slowly shut the door, leaving us all standing shocked still at the entrance.

Jae turned and looked at the rest of us.

"What do we do now?"

Avery shook her head, staring back sadly.

"What can we do?"

**Third Person POV**

**-x In Dumbledore's Office. x-**

"Hagrid, if you would please tell us what happened in the Forest? Who did this?"

Remus, Sirius, Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid, and McGonagall were gathered around Dumbledore's desk, discussing Sorra, the image of what they had seen back in the Hospital wing fresh in their minds. This was the inner circle inside of Hogwarts, an order within the order. There were a few such circles now, all for specific areas and assignments.

Hagrid shuffled his massive feet anxiously. "A Death Eater, he cornered her in the Forest."

Sirius's eyes briefly flickered to Snape, still wary of his old school nemesis, even with what was said he had done and Dumbledore's constant assurances that Sirius could trust him. Being stuck in the vial while it all happened, Sirius couldn't judge it himself, only able to go by word. Being who he is this didn't do much to ease his worries.

Sirius didn't say anything however, despite what he was thinking at the moment.

Dumbledore looked highly troubled at hearing the news. "Are you sure?"

The half giant nodded solemnly. "I'm sure, Professor. But I didn' get a look at his face, the bleedin' coward Disapparated."

McGonagall spoke next, lips pursed in a thin line. "Headmaster, this isn't possible. Everyone knows you can't Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts grounds! We _must_ be reasonable about this; something else must have caused him to get away. An invisibility charm or something like it!"

Dumbledore nodded, stroking Fawkes' head.

"Yes, this is exactly what I was thinking Minerva... many strange things are happening lately, many which question the things we already know. Hagrid, did you hear anything as the Death Eater vanished?"

Hagrid looked at him, obviously bewildered. "No sir, I followed the girl into the woods an' saw him aimin' his wand at the girl, then he disappeared, jus' like any other Disapparation. Righ' before I got ter her, he said somethin' bout' her maybe being the girl they want...think I was lucky to get ther' in time…" The headmaster nodded thoughtfully and stood, the other inhabitants of the room watching him solemnly.

"They know."


End file.
